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Tell Your Patients to Drink Up - March 2019 - Subscribe to Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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M A R C H 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 0 9 I n 2006, an out- break of toxic anterior seg- ment syndrome (TASS) caused shockwaves in the oph- thalmology community. Task forces were formed, studies were undertaken, preventa- tive measures and treat- ments were developed. If you were involved in the eye industry back then, you probably remember the hubbub. In the 13 years since, the panic over TASS has waned, but there's still much mystery shrouding the rare but potential- ly dangerous post-operative inflammation that results when a foreign substance is introduced into the eye during surgery — usually from contaminants in medications or on surgical instruments. Here's the latest. 1. The threat remains. Although there hasn't been a large out- break since 2006, TASS remains a low-profile threat with cases still flaring up. Late last summer, 3 Seattle-area surgery centers reported 15 patients that had been diagnosed with TASS following cataract sur- gery from January to July. Health officials have yet to determine a cause, but possible culprits include preservatives or toxins in medica- Joe Paone | Senior Associate Editor 9 Things You May Not Know About TASS The rare but dangerous condition isn't a problem for most eye surgeons … until it is. Here's an update. • STILL A THREAT Even though TASS is rare, all centers that perform eye sur- geries remain at risk.

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