Cataract phacoemulsification performed by resident trainees and staff surgeons: intraoperative complications and early postoperative intraocular pressure elevation.

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of intraoperative complications of phacoemulsification cataract surgery in a teaching hospital and to compare the intraoperative complication rate between resident trainees and staff ophthalmologists, to ascertain the overall rate of intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation on postoperative day 1 (POD1), and, again, to compare this value between resident trainees and staff surgeons. SETTING: Centro Hospitalar São João, Oporto, Portugal. DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: This study included eyes submitted for phacoemulsification cataract surgery from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017. There were no exclusion criteria. Data collected included the type of surgeon, level of resident training, case complexity, and intraoperative complications. From all noncomplicated surgeries, preoperative IOP and IOP-POD1 were collected. RESULTS: A total of 2937 surgeries were included; 25.6% were performed by resident trainees. The complication rate was 6.3% with resident trainees and statistically significantly lower (3.3%) in staff surgeons. The complication rate of resident trainees did not differ according to their level of residency. There was a significantly increased incidence of IOP-POD1 elevation in the resident trainee group compared with the staff surgeon group. Surgeries performed by resident trainees, a preexisting history of glaucoma, and pseudoexfoliation were significant risk factors for IOP elevation. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first European study comparing the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications in cataract surgery performed by resident trainees and staff surgeons. We report a significantly higher rate of intraoperative complications and IOP elevation on POD1 in resident trainees vs staff surgeons.