Evaluation of retina specialist's "inherent" familiarity with a new scleral buckle design and material, and their opinions on suturing the buckle for its intended purpose.

PURPOSE: To assess the ease with which retina specialists can place a new titanium scleral buckle designed to indent the posterior pole of the eye.

METHODS

Ten retina specialists with prior experience in placing scleral buckles for retinal detachment repair were selected. Participants sutured a titanium scleral indentation implant (macular buckle, MB) which differs in design and material from commonly used silicone buckles. The new design specifically targets indentation of the posterior pole of the eye, a task that is more difficult to achieve with existing silicone buckles. The study was conducted using pig eyes as a model. Surgeons were given instructions and provided with proper surgical materials. The time taken for each participant to complete the task was recorded. Participants each completed a usability questionnaire after task completion, which focused on the implant's ease of use, intuitiveness, and the need for additional instructions.

RESULTS

All participants completed the task in under 10 min with a median completion time of 5 min [IQR: 5-7.5], and a range of 5-10 min. Participants found the MB intuitive and as easy, if not easier, to suture than existing radial silicone buckles. This ease was attributed to the buckle's design, which naturally indented the posterior pole without additional manipulation.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrated that the new titanium MB effectively meets user needs, offering a technique very similar to existing methods but with the advantage of easier posterior pole indentation. The findings highlight the importance of careful suture placement and alignment to maximize procedural efficiency.