TY - JOUR T1 - Initial experience with the Pascal photocoagulator: a pilot study of 75 procedures JF - British Journal of Ophthalmology JO - Br J Ophthalmol SP - 1061 LP - 1064 DO - 10.1136/bjo.2008.139568 VL - 92 IS - 8 AU - C Sanghvi AU - R McLauchlan AU - C Delgado AU - L Young AU - S J Charles AU - G Marcellino AU - P E Stanga Y1 - 2008/08/01 UR - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/92/8/1061.abstract N2 - Background: The Pascal is a semiautomated photocoagulator that delivers a pattern array of multiple burns in a rapid predetermined sequence with a single foot pedal depression. Each burn is reduced to 10 or 20 ms to achieve this. The authors report their early experience with this system.Methods: 75 procedures done in 60 patients divided into four groups—group A, patients undergoing panretinal photocoagulation (PRP); group B, patients undergoing focal or modified grid macular laser; group C, patients undergoing macular grid and group D, patients undergoing retinopexy—were retrospectively studied.Results: 31/34 procedures in group A, 24/26 procedures in group B, 5/7 procedures in group C and all eight patients in group D had successful outcomes. Significantly higher powers were required with the Pascal than with conventional laser (p<0.001) in eyes that underwent PRP and focal/modified grid macular treatment with both systems. Single session PRP was successfully performed in five patients, and five were successfully treated with a macular grid using pattern arrays only. No adverse events were noted.Conclusion: Although the shorter pulse duration of the Pascal necessitates the use of a higher power, it is not associated with adverse effects. The results here suggest that the Pascal photocoagulator is safe and effective, and offer several potential advantages related to the brief exposure time. ER -