Sir,

The complications of AC paracentesis are well known and include endophthalmitis, corneal abscess, hyphaema, and inadvertent lens touch.1, 2 Traditionally, AC paracentesis has been performed with a tuberculin syringe, with or without a plunger attached to a hypodermic needle. When using a syringe without a plunger, there is often loss of aqueous when transferring the sample to a needle-free container. The minim technique does not eliminate these risk factors and potential complications, but does eliminate the awkward, often cumbersome manipulation associated with using an attached syringe for aspiration. The O'Rourke pipette (DORC) for aqueous sampling consists of a shorter ¼ inch 30-gauge needle attached to a deformable pipette, and is similar in its methodology of a vacuum-assisted aspiration of sample from the AC.3 Although acknowledging the increased length of the needle attached to the minim, and the potential for damage to the intraocular structures may be disadvantageous, the ability to cap the sample is clearly advantageous, both in eliminating loss of sample and in its future processing. Each minim contains 0.5 ml of volume. The volume of the AC is 0.3 ml. It is important therefore, that the minim is slowly released between thumb and forefinger, and that the entire volume of the AC is not lost. The use of 25-, 27-, and 30-gauge needles has been described earlier.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 The equipment needed for the minim technique can be found in any ophthalmology outpatient department. Furthermore, the ease of subsequent sample manipulation and aliquoting may prevent post-retrieval loss during processing.

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