New device makes cataract surgery easier

NEW YORK, Aug 14 (Reuters) A new surgical device called a pulsed electron avalanche knife (PEAK-fc), which cuts tissue with short bursts of electric pulses, makes it easier to perform cataract surgery in complicated cases, according to a report in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Cataracts develop as the lens of the eye becomes clouded.

The risk of this common eye problem increases with age and with exposure to other risk factors such as UV light exposure, smoking, and diabetes. Blurred vision, blare, and cloudy spots are common symptoms. If indicated, cataracts can be treated by replacing the natural lens with an artificial one.

In the new study, Dr. Siegfried G. Priglinger from Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany and colleagues evaluated the safety and effectiveness of PEAK-fc in 20 patients undergoing complicated cataract surgery.

The operations were performed successfully in most patients.

Moreover, unlike conventional techniques, use of PEAK-fc caused very little damage to healthy tissues surrounding the target area. No complications related to the device were noted.

''PEAK-fc was successfully used for a variety of surgical maneuvers commonly encountered in patients undergoing complicated (cataract) surgery,'' Priglinger and colleagues conclude. ''PEAK-fc allowed for surgical cutting in a very precise manner, resulting in...minimal collateral damage at the edges of the cut.'' REUTERS CS VC1015