DR. SHWETHA S

, DR. DIVYANSH MISHRA, Dr. MAHESH P. SHANMUGAM, DR. RAMYA JAYASINGH

Abstract

A patient with a retained intraocular metallic foreign body post trauma was taken up for vitrectomy and IOFB removal. Unfortunately, the intraocular magnet was not available at the moment! How a little bit of creativity and common sense helped us tide over this crisis is the content of this video.

Any metallic object can be magnetized temporarily using an existing magnet. We obtained a general-purpose magnet and wrapped it in sterile plastic, using which we magnetized a normal intraocular forceps and MVR blade by giving about 20-30 strokes over the magnet in a single direction. These DIY-magnetic instruments were then effectively utilized to remove the metallic IOFB.

We also describe the various techniques of magnetizing a metallic object for surgical use in the event of unavailability of an intraocular magnet. So the video showcases effectively harnessing the available resources and tiding over the dearth of a necessary instrument, with the right use of common sense and creativity!