DEVELOPMENT OF ORBITAL IMPLANT 

A project by Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata, Eye Care and Research Centre, Kolkata/Guru Nanak Eye Centre, Delhi, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), Delhi is aimed at development of hydroxy-apatitie based porous integrated orbital implants of different design and size for direct implantation eliminating tissue grafting for fixation to provide a satisfactory functional and cosmetic rehabilitation of the anophthalmic patients.  This new development is expected to revolutionize the treatment procedure after enucleation surgery and rehabilitation of the anophthalmic patients.  Those bioactive intraorbital implants will provide natural look of the eye along with a degree of mobility, which mimics that of the fellow eye in all directions with minimum socket complications.  This will definitely reduce post-enucleation socket syndrome, which is generally associated with a retraction or ptosis of the upper eyelid and an anophthalmic appearance.  The design was provided by SBMT/INMAS and the first stage prototype has been made by CGCRI.  Once the development is completed, the clinical trials of the implants of different size and shape will be conducted at Eye Care and Research Centre, Kolkata in human patients.  The institute will carry out detailed post operative studies to evaluate the degree of volume replacement, implant and associated prosthesis mobility, secondary eyelid and socket problems, patients satisfaction, the need for further surgery and post operative complications.  The effect of design, degree of porosity and their morphology on the performance of the implants will also be studied in detail and therefrom the ideal design will be selected. 

Source: Society for Biomedical Technology, Affordable Health Care Technology
Date: 17^th May 1998