Outpatient Surgery Magazine - Subscribers

Would You Operate On This Patient? - October 2015 - 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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service preferences. And that's why you shouldn't necessarily let price be your guide when you're considering your options. Questions to consider: 1. How good is its red reflex? It can be difficult to describe what the red reflex is to someone who hasn't seen it, but it's not hard to explain its importance to cataract surgeons. Picture the red-eye effect in family snapshots. Reflecting light off the retina in a similar fashion during surgery helps to back- light the eye's interior and makes the invisible distinction between the lens and the capsule clearly visible. In short, retroillumination lets you see more and, as a result, lets you operate more efficiently and more safely. Recent years have seen several manufacturers significantly improve their microscopes' red reflex abilities, and this has been per- haps the biggest selling point for many physicians. 2. Are the controls capable? The functionality and intuitive convenience of the controls are second in importance only to the red reflex. Since the ability to operate the scope while leaving the hands free for surgery is critical, foot pedal controls are the key. Once, while trialing 2 scopes, it actually tipped the balance for me when Scope A's red reflex was a couple of degrees better, but Scope B's foot pedal was far superior. Foot pedals vary in shape, config- uration and amount of pressure required on the buttons. As with video game controllers, one manufacturer's foot pedal is not interchangeable with another's platforms, so a user's comfort and perceived ease of use with each individual control can play a big part in his scope preference. 3. Are additional advances available? Above and beyond red reflex and convenient controls, some micro- 1 1 0 O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5

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