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O P H T H A L M O L O G Y
"Infection is a bad outcome."
While the incidence rate of toxic anterior
segment syndrome (TASS) is lower than that
of endophthalmitis — none of the 3 surgeons
had ever witnessed a case — it has still presented an infection threat since its outbreak
emergence 7 years ago. The key to prevention, the surgeons agree, is thorough sterilization of reusable instruments and single-use
options for everything else.
Dr. Yeh speculates that a possible cause of
TASS was the reusable phaco tubing that was
once in common use. "It had to be flushed and
sterilized. I think part of the problem was, it
wasn't done well enough. Now nobody uses it,
almost everything is single-use," so fewer cases
are seen. OSM
E-mail dbernard@outpatientsurgery.net.
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