A method and apparatus for performing a surgical procedure is provided. The surgicalprocedure may be a phacoemulsification procedure but other procedures may employthe techniques disclosed. The design includes sensing, within the surgicalsite, for a material change in fluid flow relative to a predetermined threshold.Upon sensing the fluid flow materially differs from the predetermined threshold,the design temporarily increases aspiration vacuum pressure to the surgicalsite above a predetermined upper threshold toward a maximum vacuum level. Thedesign applies electrically generated disruptive energy, including but notlimited to laser and/or relatively low power ultrasonic energy, to the surgicalsite from a first point in time measured from when aspiration vacuum pressureis above the predetermined upper threshold to a second point in time where pressurefalls below a predetermined lower threshold.
