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The first procedure in Poland using a new model of submacular plug performed at the University Clinical Hospital
The first procedure in Poland using a new model of submacular plug was performed at the Fryderyk Chopin University Clinical Hospital in Rzeszów (USK in Rzeszów). The patient was a resident of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship who was losing her vision due to a detachment in the central retina. She is now awaiting improvement in her vision.
This was a procedure on the surface of the eyeball," explains Małgorzata Pietraś-Trzpiel, MD from the Ophthalmology Clinic at USK in Rzeszów. "After opening the conjunctiva, I exposed the sclera, then placed the head of the submacular plug at the most critical point for vision, and sewed its arm to the sclera. It is important that the new model of the plug is individually tailored to the length of the patient's eyeball.
The operation lasted less than an hour. The patient was operated on Monday and discharged from the hospital on Wednesday. She feels well. The effects of the operation will take a few weeks to manifest. The expected improvement in vision is 20%-30%.
The first follow-up will determine whether the procedure was successful. "We will also perform optical coherence tomography to check if the anatomical conditions in the retina have improved and if this will enhance the patient's vision," explains Aneta Lewicka-Chomont, MD head of the Ophthalmology Clinic at USK in Rzeszów, who assisted during the procedure. "Immediately after the operation, it looked very good, but it will take time for the tissue to heal."
This was the first operation in Poland using the new model of the submacular plug. Previous models caused complications and issues. The new model was developed by Prof. Barbara Parolini from Italy, who specializes in the treatment of high myopia. She has performed approximately 400 procedures using various types of submacular plugs.
This model has a wider arm and base, and four points where the plug is sewn to the eye, which simplifies the entire procedure," added Pietraś-Trzpiel, MD. "Another advantage is that the plug provides 100% effectiveness.
The National Health Fund does not yet reimburse such operations. In Poland, about 40,000 people suffer from complications resulting from high myopia that require treatment. This number is expected to increase steadily, as studies show. Globally, about 0.5%-1% of the population has high myopia. One of the factors contributing to this vision defect is the increased time spent in front of computers and smartphones.
Currently, in Asia, the rate of myopia in children is 80%-90%," said Pietraś-Trzpiel, MD. "It will intensify in every second child, leading to very high myopia. This will be accompanied by various pathologies requiring different treatment than before
Wojciech Zawalski, acting director of USK in Rzeszów, is also aware of this. "The development and implementation of specialized procedures require training and investment. In the future, we will strive to acquire equipment for intraoperative visualization, which will facilitate the performance of such procedures," he said.
