Aspiration-line pressure stability in Venturi and peristaltic pump configurations during phacoemulsification: an in vitro study

This in vitro study descriptively evaluated aspiration-line pressure waveforms between Venturi and peristaltic pump configurations and their associated tubing systems using two Stellaris systems and a KITARO artificial anterior chamber model. VAC200 and VAC400 represented 200- and 400-mm Hg vacuum settings in the Venturi configuration and vacuum limits in the peristaltic configuration, with peristaltic flow settings of 20 and 35 mL/min, respectively. Pressure was recorded at 0.1-s intervals and analyzed during the stable 30- to 50-s period after activation. Only one continuous run was performed per condition. Reported standard deviations (SDs) represent within-run temporal fluctuation, not between-run variability. Mean pressure, SD, and transient fluctuations of 10 mm Hg or greater were evaluated. At VAC200, mean pressure was − 10.40 ± 0.53 mm Hg in the Venturi configuration and 11.02 ± 2.99 mm Hg in the peristaltic configuration. At VAC400, values were − 70.90 ± 1.06 and − 50.97 ± 2.54 mm Hg, respectively. Descriptive analysis suggested greater pressure fluctuation in the peristaltic configuration at both settings. Intermittent transient fluctuations of 10 mm Hg or greater occurred only in P-VAC400. These findings describe aspiration-line pressure waveforms under the tested in vitro conditions.