This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Modified capsular tension ring may make insertion easier, safer
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
SAN FRANCISCO — Adding extra eyelets to capsular tension rings may make the devices easier and safer to insert, according to a surgeon speaking here.
Jaime Zacharias, MD, described his experience with a several prototype modified capsular tension ring here at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting. He noted that the ring, manufactured for him by Morcher, does not have Food and Drug Administration approval.
Standard capsular tension rings have eyelets at each end to facilitate manipulation with hooks and other instruments. Dr. Zacharias pointed out that these standard rings contact the capsular bag at a steep angle during insertion, putting pressure on the bag and increasing the potential for tears in the capsule and other complications.
To address this problem, he designed a ring with several additional eyelets at intervals around its circumference to allow compression of the ring into a tighter circle, thus avoiding the stress on the capsule.
He described three possible techniques for inserting the modified rings. In one, an instrument he called a “trinserter” is used to grasp two of the inner eyelets to compress the ring for insertion. In a second, a suture is passed through all the eyelets before the ring is inserted. The ring is compressed by tightening the suture, and then it is dialed into the capsule. In a third technique, a specially designed inserter, also in the prototype stage, is used to gently inject the ring into the capsule.
Dr. Zacharias noted that further refinement is needed, both for the ring itself and for the insertion techniques he described. He expressed hope that the modified rings will eventually make capsular tension ring insertion easier and safer.
Dr. Zacharias acknowledged a financial interest in the devices he described.