Welcome to
THE NEXT BIG THING
Peel Membranes Without Forceps With The Awh MVP™ Micro Vacuum Pick
Device and method patents pending
Our founder, Gregg Scheller, is the founder of Synergetics. He was around before the ILM was discovered and before the cause of Macular holes was known. Shortly after ILM discovery, he worked with Yasuo Tano, MD to develop the Tano Diamond Dusted Membrane Scraper. At the time, this was proven to be an atraumatic way to assist in the removal of ILM. Many continue to use this product on a regular basis today, however surgical techniques and Instrument precision have advanced, and use of the “Tano” is not as popular as it once was.
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Scheller has worked with Dr. Carl Awh most of his 30-year career in Retina. Both are degreed-engineers, and both believe that there is always a better way. The genesis of this project came from Dr. Awh. Cooperation and testing of more than 30 iterations of this product has yielded what you see here. Membrane stripping is recognized as one of the most difficult parts of any Retina procedure. It was desirable to produce a product that would make this portion of the case safer and easier.
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It is estimated that Dr. Awh has used this product on over 100 patients now. This is remarkable, but when you consider that he has done this consecutively without the use of forceps, the feat is more remarkable. Like any surgeon, Dr. Awh would not use this unless it brought his patients a better result. Hear Dr. Awh talk about the MVP at ASRS 2020 here.
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It is not just him. We consistently hear of Retinas that look better post-operatively than they “normally” do. We believe that this is due to a number of factors:​
Accuracy
The instrument is much more accurate to place and control, as compared to something that needs to be placed accurately, squeezed, and moved in and out, all at the same time. The stiffening sleeve on the 25g and 27g version adds to the accuracy of placement.
Contact
The instrument is often only in contact with the surface of an adherent membrane once during a procedure. Once an edge is gained, the membrane can usually be reengaged with vacuum without approaching the retina. Forceps shred the membrane and re-engagement often produces “bleeders”).
Traction
Vacuum is what creates the traction. A small vacuum hole in the instrument limits the surface area on the pull, and thereby limits the pulling force. When done properly, the membrane that is not yet coming up will pull OUT of the hole, proving that the instruments limits how hard that the surgeon can pull on the Retina. There is no limit to pulling force when using forceps.
Instrument Exchanges
The number of instrument exchanges are reduced to usually zero. There is no forceps wiping or cleaning off.
Hand Fatigue
Many users have reported a surprising lack of hand fatigue at the end of a busy day.
Hear From The Experts
Carl Awh, MD
Nashville, TN
“The MVP offers surgeons a novel method of peeling ILM and ERM without forceps. I find it to be more efficient, quite effective, and potentially less traumatic to the macula than forceps.”
Morohiro Kamei, MD, Ph.D.
Japan
“The Awh MVP is a very sophisticated and useful instrument; I was able to successfully remove ILM without the use of Forceps.”
Dean Hainsworth, MD
Columbia, MO
“The Awh MVP is remarkably gentle on the retina. Peeling is smooth and atraumatic.”
Ernesto Bali, MD
Belgium
"I was able to peel the membrane in one single piece, no shredding with the MVP. No bleeding due to Retina pinching."
Magno Ferreira, MD
Brazil
"Today I did my second case, it was a diabetic macular edema treated with PVD and ILM peeling with MVP stained with brilliant blue. Worked perfectly."