Lotus Eye Hospital Introduced New Technology
Coimbatore-based Lotus Eye Care Hospital has introduced a new technology, ‘Transverse ultrasound delivery’ to enhance the outcome of cataract surgery. “It is a breakthrough technology and would definitely enhance the outcome of the cataract surgery done using phacoemulsification,” said Lotus Eye Care Hospital chairman and medical director Selva K Sundaramurthy. He claimed that his hospital is one of the first few to introduce this technology in the country. Phacoemulsification or Phaco is an advanced surgical technique used in cataract removal.The procedure is performed by inserting an ultrasound probe into the eye to soften and emulsify the hardened lens, so that it can be removed by aspiration through a titanium needle. Phaco removal of cataracts accounts for more then 80% of all surgeries performed in India. Lotus was the first to bring Phaco to Coimbatore for treating cataract in 1994 and now the hospital has two machines to provide the latest treatment to make the procedure quicker and easier. “The two machines, torsional and transversal, cost around Rs 40 lakh each.
The machines are with us now and we would soon choose the more convenient model,” Mr Sundaramurthy said. He said at least two minutes can be saved from the operation time of 10 minutes for a Phaco procedure. Further, the new technology reduces the trauma in the eye and minimises heat generation, which is responsible for sub-clinical wound burns and reduces energy delivery into the eye. The Phaco procedure costs around Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 apart from the lens costs. Lotus hospital does about 200 to 250 cataracts operation per month in its main centre at Peelamedu. “We also do 100 cataract operations each per month in our hospitals at Salem and Tirupur,” Mr Sundaramurthy added.
