A team of surgeons from the Clinic for Eye Diseases performed surgery on the posterior segment of the eye in a patient tested positive for COVID- 19.
Dr. Jasmin Zvorničanin, head of the Department for surgery, Clinic for Eye Diseases on that occasion said that surgery was done in a 58- year- old patient on the part of the eye called the pars plana, i.e. a pars plana vitrectomy, surgical technique to delicately remove the gel- like vitreous and to treat many vitreoretinal diseases that may threaten vision.
This surgery was done in a patient who completely lost his sight. The patient had complex retinal ablation on the functional eye. On the other eye he lost sight during the past years. This challenging surgery required special equipment and ideal working conditions as well. Since the patient was COVID positive a special aggravating factor was the use of protective medical and personal equipment. An additional risk factor for the staff was the close proximity between the operative field, the patient’s respiratory tract and the operator. The pars plana vitrectomy was successfully done under general anesthesia, and the complete visual center was returned to its place. The patient feels good today and it is planned for the treatment in an outpatient clinic.” said Dr. Zvorničanin and added that the patient is ready to return to normal daily activities.
Members of the surgical team who performed surgery are Dr Jasmin Zvorničanin, Dr. Muamer Kikanović, scrub technicians Senad Mandžukić, Danica Džambić, Sanela Zečević and Edin Altumbabić, anesthesiologist Dr. Mubera Ibrišimović and anesthetician Ismar Ibrahimović.