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THINKING OF BUYING ...
Lou Sheffler, MPS
Retina Surgery Platforms
Look for speed, control and the best deal.
F
or high-volume ophthalmic centers with skilled, efficient surgeons, the time may be right to add retina. Reimbursement
rates are up in commonly performed procedures. Plus, the lat-
est vitrectomy machines, 5 of which we'll review on the pages that
follow, enable fast and safe operations. Here's a quick overview of
this cornerstone equipment.
What matters most to surgeons
Most surgeons
HAND-EYE COORDINATION Faster cutting and greater control over fluidics
have increased the efficiency of vitrectomy platforms.
will judge a retina surgery platform based on 2
features: the
speed of its vitrectomy cutter,
and the efficiency and control
of its fluidics.
• Faster is better. The vitrectomy cutter handpiece incorporates an
18-gauge needle (with a hole in the side for suction) that chops pieces
of the vitreous. Its speed is measured in cuts-per-minute (abbreviated
"cpm"). The earliest vitrectors were slow: In the 1970s they delivered
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