Bausch + Lomb Introduces 23-Gauge Bi-Blade Dual Port Vitrectomy Cutter for the Stellaris Elite Vision Enhancement System

Bausch + Lomb announced the introduction of the 23-gauge Bi-Blade dual port vitrectomy cutter for the Stellaris Elite vision enhancement system. The new probe joins the available 25- and 27-gauge Bi-Blade cutters as options in the Bi-Blade portfolio. All Bi-Blade cutters double effective cut rates to increase flow and efficiency compared to single-port probes.

“Retina surgeons really appreciate the significant advantages that the Bi-Blade cutters offer,” Chuck Hess, vice president and general manager, U.S. Surgical, Bausch + Lomb, said in a company news release. “Now surgeons who prefer the benefits of a 23-gauge probe can enjoy enhanced efficiency and stability that the recently introduced 25-gauge and 27-gauge Bi-Blade cutters offer to address a wide range of procedural needs.”

While single-port cutters cut only in the forward direction, Bi-Blade cutters’ dual-edge blade cuts in both the forward and backward directions, enabling two cuts per cycle. This innovative design used with the Stellaris Elite offers an effective 15,000 cuts per minute (cpm) rate, resulting in increased flow efficiency and control compared to prior generation guillotine cutters.

“The 25- and 27-gauge Bi-Blade dual port cutters continue to be critical tools in my surgical armamentarium—delivering significant advantages over single-port cutters,” Sunir Garg, MD, professor of ophthalmology, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, said in the news release. “I look forward to the efficiency benefits of the new 23-gauge design, which is also expected to allow for reduced traction and increased control.”

To learn more and experience the Bi-Blade probes first hand, visit the Bausch + Lomb booth (#606) at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting, July 26-30, 2019 in Chicago.