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Sterile Disposable Cautery
VOL. 63, NO. 1
163
NOTES, CASES, INSTRUMENTS
S T E R I L E DISPOSABLE CAUTERY SAMUEL T.
REGISTER,
M.D.
Clearwater, Florida
This disposable cautery* for ophthalmic surgery is one-half inch in diameter and five inches in length (fig. 1). It is powered by two AAA heavy duty flashlight cells which heat a 0.010 inch Nichrome wire cautery tip. All connections are permanent except the stainless steel contacts closed by finger pres sure on a plastic button.
Fig. 3 (Castroviejo). Note easy overlapping of the branches of the short forceps shown in Figure 1-A.
Fig. 4 (Castroviejo). Spring-handle forceps with 0.15-mm teeth.
0.15 mm and are set at an oblique angle. Al though small and delicate, they are strong enough to hold the tissues securely and cause very little trauma. There is a flat sur face on each branch near the teeth and op position of these surfaces provides toothless jaws useful in the manipulation of the nee dle and silk sutures. They perform well if they are kept in perfect condition but they must be treated with the care given any cut ting instrument ; otherwise the teeth become blunted and the forceps loses its usefulness. For this reason it was found that teeth smaller than 0.15 mm were not practical. Figure 4 shows another model of fine for ceps with a spring-action handle. The branches have the same characteristics as the ones already described for the previous forceps but they are shorter. They are ta pered to very fine tips with 0.15-mm teeth and they provide fine fixation of the tissues without overlapping. Their over-all length is 117 mm, which also permits comfortable handling and easy manipulation. 9 East 91st Street (10028)
Fig. 1 (Register). The sterile disposable cautery.
Fig. 2 (Register). The sterile cautery is supplied prepackaged in a transparent, semirigid plastic container.
The cautery is supplied sterile, prepack aged in a transparent, semirigid plastic pullapart container (fig. 2) for easy aseptic re moval. It is economical, costing approximate ly the same as one single ophthalmic suture. The convenient size, electrical reliability, * Manufactured by Concept, Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida.
164
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
efficacy of cauterization and sterile packag ing make this a most welcome addition to the ophthalmic surgeon's armamentarium. 906 South Fort Harrison Avenue
DOUBLE-END PLASTIC RETRACTOR FOR ROUND-PUPIL CRYOEXTRACTION OF CATARACT R. M. FASANELLA,
M.D.
JANUARY, 1967
upon the size of the pupil. It is called the Fasanella double-end plastic retractor (Storz No. 13428). It is made of the Gener al Electric Company's P P O plastic which will withstand autoclaving or wet steriliza tion and can be safely boiled. However, there is no guarantee that it will withstand every available cold sterilizing solution. For safety, the instrument is best transported in a test tube. 842 Howard Avenue (06519)
New Haven, Connecticut It has been said that, with the use of the cryoextractor, especially if one is attempting a round-pupil extraction "the iris may be included in the ice mass formed within the lens. This complication is more frequent in round-pupil extractions." 1 Also, it is pointed out that cryoextraction "does not simplify the routine procedure" and that the cryoex tractor "if not handled very ably, may stick to the cornea and cause permanent damage to these structures." "In the hands of the less experienced surgeons, cryoextraction of a cataract may lead to disastrous results."2
Fig. 1 (Fasanella). Double-end plastic retractor (Storz No. 13428).
The instrument (fig. 1) herein described will retract the iris, get over the hump of the brow and allow a double-size, depending Since this article was accepted for publication, a "Cryosurgical iris retractor" has been described by Bronson and Turtz (Am. J. Ophth. 62:150, 1966), also manufactured by the Storz instrument company. My retractor, however, has two ends to allow for differences in pupil size. I feel it can be applied more easily over the brow, especially in deep-set eyes.
REFERENCES
1. Kelman, C. D. : Complications of cryosurgi cal cataract extraction: In Complications after Cataract Surgery. (F. H. Theodore, ed.) Boston, Little Brown, 1965, p. 672. 2. Castroviejo, R.: Comments on cataract sur gery. Am. J. Ophth. 61:1063/123 (May Pt. II) 1966.
ANTERIOR-CHAMBER KNIFE-NEEDLE Louis J. SPIZZIRI, M.D. Wyckoff, New Jersey There are several indications for the in sertion of a needle into the anterior cham ber, either to instill some material or with draw aqueous humor. Delayed restoration or loss of the chamber is one of the more serious indications. Although it frequently responds to conservative treatment, some form of intervention may be required to prevent serious sequelae, such as glaucoma or keratitis. Instillation of air into the chamber is usually an essential part of the procedure. Any device which simplifies and facilitates the procedure is beneficial since it minimizes additional trauma to the eye and allows earlier intervention. A needle designed for entering the ante rior chamber should have several desirable qualities: (1) insertion should be accom plished quickly and easily; (2) only one This instrument is manufactured by Storz Instru ment Company, St. Louis, Missouri.
163
NOTES, CASES, INSTRUMENTS
S T E R I L E DISPOSABLE CAUTERY SAMUEL T.
REGISTER,
M.D.
Clearwater, Florida
This disposable cautery* for ophthalmic surgery is one-half inch in diameter and five inches in length (fig. 1). It is powered by two AAA heavy duty flashlight cells which heat a 0.010 inch Nichrome wire cautery tip. All connections are permanent except the stainless steel contacts closed by finger pres sure on a plastic button.
Fig. 3 (Castroviejo). Note easy overlapping of the branches of the short forceps shown in Figure 1-A.
Fig. 4 (Castroviejo). Spring-handle forceps with 0.15-mm teeth.
0.15 mm and are set at an oblique angle. Al though small and delicate, they are strong enough to hold the tissues securely and cause very little trauma. There is a flat sur face on each branch near the teeth and op position of these surfaces provides toothless jaws useful in the manipulation of the nee dle and silk sutures. They perform well if they are kept in perfect condition but they must be treated with the care given any cut ting instrument ; otherwise the teeth become blunted and the forceps loses its usefulness. For this reason it was found that teeth smaller than 0.15 mm were not practical. Figure 4 shows another model of fine for ceps with a spring-action handle. The branches have the same characteristics as the ones already described for the previous forceps but they are shorter. They are ta pered to very fine tips with 0.15-mm teeth and they provide fine fixation of the tissues without overlapping. Their over-all length is 117 mm, which also permits comfortable handling and easy manipulation. 9 East 91st Street (10028)
Fig. 1 (Register). The sterile disposable cautery.
Fig. 2 (Register). The sterile cautery is supplied prepackaged in a transparent, semirigid plastic container.
The cautery is supplied sterile, prepack aged in a transparent, semirigid plastic pullapart container (fig. 2) for easy aseptic re moval. It is economical, costing approximate ly the same as one single ophthalmic suture. The convenient size, electrical reliability, * Manufactured by Concept, Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida.
164
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
efficacy of cauterization and sterile packag ing make this a most welcome addition to the ophthalmic surgeon's armamentarium. 906 South Fort Harrison Avenue
DOUBLE-END PLASTIC RETRACTOR FOR ROUND-PUPIL CRYOEXTRACTION OF CATARACT R. M. FASANELLA,
M.D.
JANUARY, 1967
upon the size of the pupil. It is called the Fasanella double-end plastic retractor (Storz No. 13428). It is made of the Gener al Electric Company's P P O plastic which will withstand autoclaving or wet steriliza tion and can be safely boiled. However, there is no guarantee that it will withstand every available cold sterilizing solution. For safety, the instrument is best transported in a test tube. 842 Howard Avenue (06519)
New Haven, Connecticut It has been said that, with the use of the cryoextractor, especially if one is attempting a round-pupil extraction "the iris may be included in the ice mass formed within the lens. This complication is more frequent in round-pupil extractions." 1 Also, it is pointed out that cryoextraction "does not simplify the routine procedure" and that the cryoex tractor "if not handled very ably, may stick to the cornea and cause permanent damage to these structures." "In the hands of the less experienced surgeons, cryoextraction of a cataract may lead to disastrous results."2
Fig. 1 (Fasanella). Double-end plastic retractor (Storz No. 13428).
The instrument (fig. 1) herein described will retract the iris, get over the hump of the brow and allow a double-size, depending Since this article was accepted for publication, a "Cryosurgical iris retractor" has been described by Bronson and Turtz (Am. J. Ophth. 62:150, 1966), also manufactured by the Storz instrument company. My retractor, however, has two ends to allow for differences in pupil size. I feel it can be applied more easily over the brow, especially in deep-set eyes.
REFERENCES
1. Kelman, C. D. : Complications of cryosurgi cal cataract extraction: In Complications after Cataract Surgery. (F. H. Theodore, ed.) Boston, Little Brown, 1965, p. 672. 2. Castroviejo, R.: Comments on cataract sur gery. Am. J. Ophth. 61:1063/123 (May Pt. II) 1966.
ANTERIOR-CHAMBER KNIFE-NEEDLE Louis J. SPIZZIRI, M.D. Wyckoff, New Jersey There are several indications for the in sertion of a needle into the anterior cham ber, either to instill some material or with draw aqueous humor. Delayed restoration or loss of the chamber is one of the more serious indications. Although it frequently responds to conservative treatment, some form of intervention may be required to prevent serious sequelae, such as glaucoma or keratitis. Instillation of air into the chamber is usually an essential part of the procedure. Any device which simplifies and facilitates the procedure is beneficial since it minimizes additional trauma to the eye and allows earlier intervention. A needle designed for entering the ante rior chamber should have several desirable qualities: (1) insertion should be accom plished quickly and easily; (2) only one This instrument is manufactured by Storz Instru ment Company, St. Louis, Missouri.