Alcon: design-winning forceps to Podthalmology

The Alcon surgical team were out in force at RANZCO 2022 supporting their customers with a plethora of new technology and initiatives.

Finesse Reflex handle

Causing quite a stir was one of the company’s smaller products, the new Finesse Reflex handle, created directly from vitreoretinal (VR) surgeons’ feedback, said Alcon product manager Amin Shahi. “Compared to standard ILM (internal limiting membrane) forcep handles, it’s far more ergonomic. It’s a revolution, really.” The new handle has a 22% smaller basket diameter, a 31% thinner nose cone, a 33% smaller tail diameter and is 9% shorter overall. The design is so good it netted a 2022 Red Dot Design Award, said Shahi.

“The device is an advanced version of previous models, but with smaller dimensions and a reduced weight,” said the Red Dot team. “The handle does not have to be squeezed as hard to close the tweezers at the tip. The cylindrical shape allows the handle to be rotated by 360⁰ while the shorter end piece prevents collision with the microscope. The grooved structure and finger notch also provide improved stability.”

“It would be easy to overlook the importance of handle design for the instruments we use,” wrote Duke University’s VR fellowship director Associate Professor Lejla Vajzovic in an Alcon-sponsored article about the Finesse Reflex in Retina Today. “After all, that may be something we just do not give much consideration. Yet when it comes time to lifting and peeling very fine and virtually transparent tissue off the surface of the thin retina, every small detail can wind up making a huge impact.” The handle can be used with the Reflex Sharkskin ILM or Maxgrip forcep tips, said Shahi.

Podthalmology

Slightly left-field was Alcon’s new Podthalmology podcast, which was being promoted at RANZCO in Brisbane. Developed with medical podcast company Bench to Bedside and hosted by Melbourne-based cataract, strabismus and neuro-ophthalmology surgeon Dr Lana Del Porto, Podthalmology comprises five episodes tackling current issues in ophthalmology, said Alcon’s Simon Allen, adding the hope is to extend the series next year.

The topics covered are: audits in ophthalmology; patients and referrers – what they really want and why does it matter?; unconscious bias in medicine with a focus on ophthalmology; is new intraocular lens (IOL) technology driving broader use of posterior chamber IOLs or is a patient-centred approach to measuring outcomes making PC IOL use the new normal?; and training: next-generation eye surgeons.