Hypodermic stainless steel tacks and companion inserter designed for peripheral fixation of retina

G. E. O'Grady, J. M. Parel, W. Lee, H. W. Flynn Jr, K. R. Olsen, G. Blankenship and J. G. Clarkson
Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, FL 33101.

Mechanical fixation of the torn or cut edge of retina with 30-gauge hypodermic stainless steel tacks has been performed in 15 patients at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, and Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center with six to 18 months of follow-up. The companion tack inserter allows the surgeon to select an angle for the shaft of the tack in relation to the inserter to allow the tack to be driven perpendicularly into sclera even when the insertion is anterior to the equator. If residual detachment remains following fluid-gas exchange after preliminary placement of the retinal tacks, a given tack may be removed and reinserted to facilitate complete retinal reattachment. This utilitarian feature allows the surgeon to eliminate residual anteroposterior traction following complete membrane peeling by extending relaxing retinotomies and tacking the posterior cut edge of the retina securely between the ora serrata and the equator.