FDA Approves Quantel Devices

Ophthalmic medical device developer Quantel Medical has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Easyret fully integrated, 577-nm yellow photocoagulator, used to treat certain forms of macular edema and peripheral retinal pathologies.

“In 1995, Quantel was the first company to introduce solid-state diode-pumped technology for green photocoagulators,” said Jean-Marc Gendre, CEO of Quantel Medical. “In 2016, Quantel introduced a new revolution with fiber laser technology for 577-nm yellow lasers in Europe. This technical breakthrough is based on Quantel’s proprietary ELBA fiber laser technology, which the company has utilized in scientific and industrial areas. We are very excited to bring this technology to ophthalmic surgeons and their patients in the United States in 2017.”

The Easyret has a broad range of settings for treatment of pathologies such as diabetic retinopathy, macular edema and central serous chorioretinopathy. In addition to SingleSpot treatment mode, surgeons can select Multispot mode for a pattern of simultaneous targets, or the SubLiminal mode, which enables them to customize a train of short pulses to precisely manage the thermal effect on targeted tissues.

"The Easyret’s ELBA fiber laser cavity delivers pure, 577-nm yellow wavelength in a uniform top-hat laser spot profile, making it ideal for ophthalmic applications,” Gendre said. “The technology is a compact, reliable variation on solid-state lasers that provides an extended lifetime of service. Quantel engineers worked closely with surgeons to design a fully integrated system with an intuitive interface to ensure optimal ergonomics and ease of use. Surgeons’ input was essential to the Easyret’s design, and we are pleased with their enthusiasm for this new technology.”

Quantel Medical manufactures and markets a full range of ultrasound and laser products designed for ophthalmology.