Cystotome needle
A needle (classically bent, ~25-27G gauge) used to puncture and open the anterior lens capsule, either via a 360° circular incision (classic extracapsular technique) or to start a manual capsulorhexis.
How it is used
Anterior capsulotomy in extracapsular cataract extraction, or to start/perform a manual continuous capsulorhexis under irrigation without prior viscoelastic.
Clinical tip
Manual capsulorhexis with a 27G needle cystotome under continuous irrigation has a short learning curve and saves viscoelastic.
Sources
This entry is part of the Instriq catalog, researched and written per specialty from real web research -- never generated or invented without verification -- and reviewed skeptically and independently before publication. How this catalog is written.