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Dr.
Claudio A. Ferreira
Specializes in Retina, Vitreous & Diabetic Eye Disease |
The latest technology for retinal surgery is being offered
at the Greater New Bedford Surgicenter. According to Dr.
Claudio Ferreira, one of the retinal surgeons
at EHVC, this new technology has been a great benefit
for patients undergoing many types of retinal procedures.
The new instrumentation for vitrectomy surgery enters
through tiny incisions, one half the size of those used
previously. The instruments used are much smaller than
their predecessors, and are much more precise to handle
the delicate tissues inside the eye. Since everything
is minimized, there is less trauma to the tissues of the
eye. In fact, the incisions are so tiny that they are
self-sealing and do not require sutures. "This new
technology represents a major advance in surgery of this
type,"
says Dr. Ferreira. "This is much like when cataract
surgeons shifted away from large incisions to small sutureless
ones - it revolutionized their surgery. This trend to
miniaturize surgery is being seen in many other surgical
specialties as well."
The name for these procedures is called 25-gauge transconjunctival
sutureless vitrectomy. Vitrectomy involves removing the
jellylike substance inside the eye. It is followed by other
procedures depending on the underlying problem. 25-gauge
refers to the size of the incision, and transconjunctival
means that the incisions are made directly through the clear
coating that lines the eye, without removing it. Many retinal
problems can be fixed using these techniques such as macular
puckers (scar tissue on the retina), macular holes (holes
in the center part of the retina), certain types of retinal
detachments as well as problems relating to bleeding from
diabetic eye disease.
The new technology has tremendous benefits for the patients
having these procedures. Since there is less tissue manipulation
and there is significantly less operating time, the eyes
recover faster from the surgery and there are less complications.
There is also significantly less post-operative discomfort. "Patients
that have had vitrectomies in one eye the standard way and
the other eye with 25-gauge are amazed at the difference,
even in the post-operative appearance of the eye,"
says Dr. Ferreira. "I am truly impressed with the outcomes.
As new instrumentation is constantly being adapted for this
technology, there will be more and more applications suitable
for 25-gauge surgery." |