A new ophthalmic microtrephine.

We present a new instrument designed to facilitate the microtrephination of tissues required in various ophthalmic procedures. This microtrephine is a 21-gauge stainless steel tube, 0.81 mm in diameter and 16 mm long, with a sharpened cutting end and a plastic finger-grip area to facilitate micro-rotation.

New minitrephine makes lacrimal canalicular rehabilitation an office procedure.

A new minitrephine, with a stainless steel tube of 0.81-mm outer diameter, 16-mm length, a plastic hub and handle assembly for manual rotation, Luer lock attachment to either standard or specially designed 3-ml syringe with spring-assisted plunger, and an intraluminal stylet--all disposable--has been designed by us principally for opening a distally occluded lacrimal canaliculus prior to stenting with any desired implant. Local anesthesia via a nasociliary nerve block makes this an office procedure.

A convenient procedure for rapid release of protoplasts from Ustilago maydis.

Filtrates from cultures of Trichoderma harzianum, grown on a liquid mineral salts medium containing vitamin and trace element supplements, 0.5 g/l glucose and 2 g/l of dried residue of ethanol-extracted commercial mushrooms (Agaricus brunnescens), are a good source of enzymes for the release of protoplasts from the sporidia of Ustilago maydis. When concentrated 50-fold by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, the enzymes liberated 95% of the protoplasts from the sporidia within 40 min.

Surgical correction of blepharoptosis and lower-eyelid retraction in dry-eyed patients.

A Fasanella-Servat upper-eyelid tarsal excision was coupled with reimplantation of the excised specimen into the lower lid between its antitarsal margin and the retractor muscles of the lower lid. The reimplantation of tissues preserved secretory elements in four dry-eyed patients whose upper-lid blepharoptosis and lower-lid retraction were both surgically corrected by this procedure.