January 2009

Fighting for Every Letter on the Chart

Allen C. Ho, MD, and Robert L. Avery, MD

RADICAL Trial Update

At 6 months, combination therapies appear safe.

Jennifer Kreatsoulas, News & Contributing Editor

Medical Update

A summary of general medicine news that affects your patients, your practice, and you.

David Boyer, MD, Section Editor

Novel Methods of Medical Research

A case study of how thalidomide was rediscovered.

Robert D'Amato, MD

Maximizing Clinical Efficiency

Tips from successful practitioners on how to bring your entire team to a level of high performance while maintaining excellent patient care.

Kevin J. Blinder, MD, and Carl Regillo, MD

A Road Map for Retinal Surgical Coding in 2009

Tips to help minimize coding mistakes and ensure proper reimbursement for surgical retina procedures performed in your practice.

Riva Lee Asbell

Endophthalmitis: On the Rise Again?

The Micro-Surgical Safety Task Force has devised important guidelines for vitreoretinal surgeons.

Albert J. Augustin, MD; Stephan Scholl, MD; and Stanislao Rizzo, MD

Sutureless 23- and 25-gauge Vitrectomy: Understanding Incision Architecture

The integrity of the wound is essential to infection prevention.

Jay M. Stewart, MD, and Ajay Singh, MD

Update on Combination Therapy for Exudative AMD

Verteporfin PDT and anti-VEGF therapies have complementary mechanisms of action.

Peter K. Kaiser, MD

Same-day Triple Therapy for Wet AMD: Reduced Fluence PDT, Intravitreal Bevacizumab, and Dexamethasone

Combination of treatments takes advantage of different mechanisms of action.

Sophie J. Bakri, MD

Epiretinal Brachytherapy (EpiRad90) for the Treatment of CNV Due to AMD

Preliminary results promising; prospective controlled clinical trial is under way.

Baruch D. Kuppermann, MD, PhD

Dexamethasone as an Adjunct in Neovascular AMD Treatment

A discussion of the rationale and background of the PDEX II trial.

Subhransu K. Ray, MD, PhD

Trial Seeks to Find Maintenance Effect of Steroid in Combination With Ranibizumab

Enrollment is currently under way.

Reviewed by Quan Dong Nguyen, MD, MSc

The Economic Burden of Diabetic Macular Edema

Cost-effectiveness of therapy is a complex equation.

George A. Williams, MD

Disposable Instrumentation for Microincision Vitrectomy Surgery

Surgical results, precision performance, and sterilization concerns are discussed.

Timothy G. Murray, MD, MBA, FACS

Preoperative Bevacizumab in the Surgical Management of TRD and T+RRD

Study tests the potential of preoperative bevacizumab to reduce vascularity of neovascularization prior to vitrectomy.

Marí,a H. Berrocal, MD

5 Questions With Carol L. Shields, MD

Dr. Shields is Associate Director and Attending Surgeon on the Ocular Oncology Service at Wills Eye Institute. She is a Professor of Ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University and a consultant at Children's Institute of Philadelphia.

Carol L. Shields, MD