Task force calls on surgeons to become more proactive in TASS prevention

CHICAGO — Ophthalmologists and their staffs must take more aggressive preventive measures against toxic anterior segment syndrome, according to one of the leaders of a task force convened to combat the infection.

Speaking here at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) meeting, Nick Mamalis, MD, outlined steps the task force has determined are necessary to contain TASS outbreaks. The task force was convened by the ASCRS in 2006 following outbreaks in more than 100 centers.

"We want to be proactive to prevent outbreaks before they occur and to give surgeons and surgical centers the information you need to prevent this from happening," Dr. Mamalis said. "But this is highly dependent on participation of ophthalmologists, nurses and the surgical staff because we really need adequate reporting of cases when they occur and we want to be able to limit them," Dr. Mamalis said.

He noted the four major obstacles to better prevention are: a lack of product traceability, under reporting, poor communication and a lack of methodology for testing samples. Many of these require better communication between surgeons and the task force, he added.

Dr. Mamalis pointed to forms available on the ASCRS Web site as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Web site for reporting TASS cases. He said the groups were working toward better integration of these efforts.

"We really need detailed records of what was used in the surgery" when an infection is reported, he explained.

"We definitely want to be proactive. We want to work with the FDA and other agencies and we would like to try to nip this problem in the bud before it gets out of hand," Dr. Mamalis concluded.