Definition

Noun: - A surgical procedure for cataract removal: A modern, minimally invasive form of extracapsular cataract surgery. In this procedure, an ultrasonic probe is used to break the cloudy lens (cataract) into tiny fragments, which are then suctioned out through a small tube. The natural lens capsule is typically left intact to support a new artificial intraocular lens.

Usage

• This term is used exclusively in medical contexts, specifically ophthalmology, to describe the standard surgical technique for treating cataracts.
• It is a technical, compound noun. In everyday conversation, people typically refer to the general procedure as "cataract surgery."

Examples

• As a subject: has revolutionized cataract surgery.
• As an object: The surgeon performed on the patient's left eye.
• In a descriptive phrase: The success rate for modern procedures is very high.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often abbreviated informally in medical notes as "phaco."
  • Example: "Patient scheduled for phaco in the right eye next Tuesday."

Variants and Related Words

• Phacoemulsifier (n): The ultrasonic device used to perform the phacoemulsification procedure.
• Phaco (n): A common medical shorthand for phacoemulsification.
• Extracapsular Cataract Extraction (ECCE) (n): The broader category of cataract surgery that phacoemulsification belongs to, where the lens nucleus is removed in one piece or after being broken up.

Synonyms

• Ultrasonic cataract extraction: A descriptive synonym emphasizing the use of ultrasound.
• Small-incision cataract surgery: A synonym highlighting the minimally invasive nature of the procedure compared to older techniques.

Notes on Meaning

This word has a single, highly specific meaning within the field of medicine. It does not have different general meanings, idioms, or phrasal verbs associated with it, as it is a precise technical term.

Noun

1. extracapsular surgery for cataracts in which ultrasonic sound breaks the cortex and nucleus of the lens into small fragments that are then vacuumed away through a small tube