Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy rates in the Netherlands: practice variation and association with physician practice styles

Purpose: To determine the practice variation in the rate of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy within 1 year after cataract surgery and to identify possible associations with physician practice styles. Setting: All hospitals and private clinics in the Netherlands. Design: Retrospective observational study. Methods: In the national medical claims database, we identified all laser capsulotomies performed in the Netherlands within a year after cataract surgery in the years 2016 and 2017. Centers with the lowest and highest percentages of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomies were interviewed on their physician practi... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Eggermont, Rogier L.
Witteman, Agnes M.
van Erkelens, Judith A.
Vermeulen, Karin
Vunderink, Lydia
Reus, Nicolaas J.
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2022
Reihe/Periodikum: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery ; volume 49, issue 4, page 373-377 ; ISSN 0886-3350 1873-4502
Verlag/Hrsg.: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Schlagwörter: Sensory Systems / Ophthalmology / Surgery
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-26832329
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000001118

Purpose: To determine the practice variation in the rate of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy within 1 year after cataract surgery and to identify possible associations with physician practice styles. Setting: All hospitals and private clinics in the Netherlands. Design: Retrospective observational study. Methods: In the national medical claims database, we identified all laser capsulotomies performed in the Netherlands within a year after cataract surgery in the years 2016 and 2017. Centers with the lowest and highest percentages of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomies were interviewed on their physician practice styles related to the development of posterior capsule opacification. Results: The incidence of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy varied between 1.2% and 26.0% in 2016 (median 5.0%) and between 0.9% and 22.7% in 2017 (median 5.0%). The rate of capsulotomy was highly consistent over time for each center (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.89, P < .001). In general, ophthalmology centers with a high rate of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy more often did not (routinely) polish the posterior lens capsule, performed cortex removal with coaxial irrigation/aspiration (I/A, instead of bimanual), and more often used hydrophilic intraocular lenses (IOLs) (compared with only using hydrophobic IOLs). Conclusions: We found a significant practice variation in performing Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy within 1 year after cataract surgery in the Netherlands. Routinely polishing the posterior capsule, using bimanual I/A, and the use of hydrophobic IOLs are associated with a lower incidence in Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy. Incorporating these practice styles may lower the practice variation and thus prevent added medical burden for the patient and decrease costs.