A tribute to Charles David Kelman MD: ophthalmologist, inventor and pioneer of phacoemulsification surgery

Abstract

Charles David Kelman was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA, on 23 May 1930 and passed away in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, on 1 June 2004 at the age of 74 years after a long battle with cancer. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Tufts University in 1950 and completed medical studies at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, in 1956. He was Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at New York Medical College and an Attending Surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. Although a prolific inventor, he will be best remembered for developing phacoemulsification, following his realization while sitting in a dentist's chair, that ultrasonic vibrations could be used to emulsify the aged crystalline lens through a very small incision. His pioneering work revolutionized cataract surgery. He also pioneered cryo-extraction of cataracts, the use of freezing for the repair of retinal detachments and designed numerous ophthalmic instruments and intraocular lenses. Dr Kelman received numerous awards, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award (1970), the Ridley Medal from the International Congress of Ophthalmology (1990), and the Inventor of the Year Award from The New York Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law Association (1992). Most recently (2003), Dr Kelman was honoured by the American Academy of Ophthalmology with the Laureate Recognition award. Dr Kelman was also an accomplished Broadway producer, composer and jazz saxophonist. With his demise, the ophthalmic and medical community lost a famed inventor with multifaceted talents and one of the great ophthalmologists of the twentieth century.

Safety Profile of Venturi Versus Peristaltic Phacoemulsification Pumps in Cataract Surgery Using a Capsular Surrogate for the Human Lens

“…1 However, with the addition of this powerful technology came additional opportunities for complications. Posterior capsular rupture is a relatively common complication of cataract extraction via phacoemulsification, with a reported incidence of between 1.7% and 5.2%.…”

OCT Application Before and After Cataract Surgery

“…In most industrialized countries, cataract surgery accounts for the largest proportion of surgical interventions in ophthalmology. The advent of minimal incision, phacoemulsification (introduced by Charles Kelman in the 1970s), and foldable intraocular lens, has made cataract surgery safer and more efficient [14]. Moreover, modern cataract surgery combined with new generation intraocular lens types, which can be designated refractive surgery, aims to provide optimal visual quality and render the visual function better [15].…”

Current Status of Cryotherapy for Prostate and Kidney Cancer

“…Nevertheless, cryosurgery continued to develop in other specialties, with improvements made in liquid nitrogen probes and heating devices [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. In the 1980s, Korpan [ 11 ] performed experiments to understand the mechanism of cell damage caused by freezing and along with his clinical studies, the experiment provided the framework for the formulation of clinical and technical requirements for modern cryosurgery.…”