January 26, 2009 
REVOLUTIONARY PROCEDURE IN CROATIA
The first serious eye surgery without incisions and stitches
Dr. Šarić Borna performed surgery technique that was only three months ago presented to the world of medicine
However much surgery without cutting and stitches in the posterior segment of the eye – the so-called vitroretinal surgery – developed in recent years, each demanding operation because of difficult pathology of the posterior segment of the eye, until recently, could not be done without opening the white of the eye and the outer layer of the eye, so called socket, part of the eye where we see the tiny blood vessels.
Eye surgery without incisions and stitches
Thanks to the new surgical method, a few months ago in a large ophthalmology centers in the world started a seamless posterior segment eye surgery in cases that require the introduction of some powerful instruments into the eye – we are introduced to this story by ophthalmic medical dr. Šarić Borna, vitroretinal surgeon from the The Holy Spirit Hospital, in Zagreb.
Innovation by dr. Claesta
In May, last year, at the world’s largest professional conference of vitroretinal surgeons in Frankfurt, dr. Claest from Belgium for the first time presented his technological innovation of operating system to enter the eye, which is based on the instrument whose diameter is 0.9 mm, explains to us, dr. Šarić, who is one of the few surgeons in the European level that deal with surgery of the eye without cutting and no stitches, with more demanding operations also.
– Instruments of 0.9 millimeters in diameter have a strong suction and cutting power, speed of cutting everything that is needed to eliminate deep in the background of the eye. It is a large step that they now can be used in surgery “through holes in the eye.” Dr. Claest has, in fact, designed the valve with a stopper which are mounted on the troacar, an instrument that is by push, under certain angle, brought into the eye like a tiny spear – explains dr. Šarić and continues:
Metal channel
– There is a small metal channel in the eye that has opened communication between the outside world and the interior of the eye and remains in the eye during surgery. Through this hole we enter deeply into the eye and with the help of powerful instruments, under a microscope, the surgeon performs all that is needed. But if there wasn’t any valve, which is the most important addition to this system, the operation through a hole in the eye wouldn’t be possible. Content of the eye would leak out – says dr. Šarić.
For illustration, he describes:
– With the hole in the wheel of a car you can drive from Zagreb to Rijeka, with a large hole in the tire ride will be short because the tire will quickly become empty.
– A hole of about 0.9 millimeters is enormous. However, the valves on top of the “spear” are automatically opened and closed, depending does the instrument enters or exits the eye. With tweezers, scissors or knife we go in and out of the eye during the operation a hundred times, but the content will not flow out of the eye – tells us dr. Borna Šarić, who has in the last ten days operated on several patients with diabetic retinopathy with this new method.
In this, we can talk about the top procedure, there are three metal tubes introduced into the eye. One is for instruments, the second is for the light of the operating area, and through the third saline solution enters the eye.
Three red dots
After the operation, the tubes are removed from the eye, the white of the eye is simply pressed, the holes close by themeselves, and the only sign of surgery are three red, barely visible dots on the white of the eye which, of course, will disappear.
Taken from: www.vecernji.hr
Author DIANA GLAVINA, Photo: Davor Visnjic