"My fright was unfounded." With over 200 medical inventions to Dr. Robert Fischell’s credit, the Fischell family have navigated the complexities of medical innovation and well-being with a dedication that is incomparable. Dr. Robert Fischell—a 95-year-old celebrated inventor and engineer and three-time doctorate recipient—has revolutionized the medical field by inventing a bona fide battalion in medicine. Amongst many others, Dr. Fischell’s inventions include the coronary stent, an implantable heart defibrillator, implantable insulin pumps, a migraine prevention device, and a device to prevent death from heart attacks. He is currently developing yet another medical device to treat nosebleeds, amongst other novel treatments.
Ophthalmic care is deeply personal for the Fischells, illustrated by Mrs. Susan Fischell's experience with corneal disease. Faced with a debilitating condition that cast a cloud over more than just her vision, Mrs. Fischell endured years of eye pain. Mrs. Fischell reflects on her family’s experience with the disease, "Many of my family members suffered the same or similar conditions on my father's side. . . one cousin with the same condition. . . got to the point where she couldn't drive a car. She committed suicide."
Although Susan’s aunt and father received corneal transplants, the procedures were not fully successful, driving Mrs. Fischell’s reluctance to attempt the surgery. "It didn’t work well," she remembers of her aunt’s and father’s attempted surgeries—now decades ago. Reflecting on her own successful surgical results by contrast, Mrs. Fischell explains, "I think one of the keys to the success of this specific medical procedure may be leaving the bottom two layers of the cornea in place and surgically adding the outer three layers by a transplant." She considers further: "But I think the real key is the great skill of the eye surgeon, Dr. Jeng."
In their search for a capable and understanding specialist, the Fischells searched "high and low," in their words—with the firsthand understanding that identifying the right doctor was crucial. Mrs. Fischell's deliberations on risk factors were marked by a high degree of anxiety about her future vision. She expresses this concern in vivid detail: "The main thing was that I wanted to be able to see well when this surgery was completed and healed. I didn't want the vision I had to go away." The gravity of her condition was critical—she needed a medical expert who could address and mitigate these risks with a high degree of certainty.
Bennie Jeng, MD, Chair of Department of Ophthalmology and Director of the Scheie Eye Institute, came into the Fischell family’s life by a Maryland neurologist’s recommendation—Dr. Jeng was exactly the specialist the Fischells needed. Under Dr. Jeng’s care first at the University of Maryland, and then following him to Scheie, Mrs. Fischell underwent a series of surgeries that included cataract surgery following a specialized partial thickness corneal transplant—a deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty—that carefully preserved the functioning inner layers of her cornea, significantly improving her vision without the complications her relatives had suffered in their surgical treatments with full thickness corneal transplants. Dr. Fischell expresses the precision of the procedure, explaining, "I was amazed at what they could do. The cornea has five layers; they left the bottom two layers and transplanted from another person the outer three layers and used approximately 16 stitches to attach the outer three layers. That is incredibly precise, and it worked perfectly because of Dr. Jeng’s knowledge and skill."
Another unexpected benefit of the successful corneal surgery was its impact on Mrs. Fischell's glaucoma. Previously obscured by cataracts and her cornea, her optic nerve was difficult to assess, making management of her glaucoma challenging. Following the corneal transplant and subsequent cataract surgery, her doctors were finally able to accurately assess and treat her glaucoma. Mrs. Fischell reflects, "Once they took the cataracts out, they could finally assess the glaucoma. It was so hard to do that before the surgery. But now, my pressure is down considerably, and I don't have to take the pressure lowering eye drops anymore." This successful management of one ocular condition inadvertently led to other improvements, significantly enhancing the quality of her life.
At present, Mrs. Fischell can enjoy reading the newspaper, seeing the faces of her loved ones, and participating in the daily activities that were once marred by her condition. Recalling the severity of her symptoms before surgery, she noted, "In my earlier days, when this lattice corneal dystrophy was so bad, I remember being in bed for as long as a week because I was in such eye pain. I had to stop reading the newspaper. Just to go out to the mailbox and get the mail—I could not even do that because the sun was so bright, even with my sunglasses on. It just hurt my eyes so badly." Dr. Fischell also reflects on the pain that frequently kept Mrs. Fischell isolated: "When you are in pain all the time, you just don't want to get dressed, go out, do anything. . . and it went on for decades." She elaborated on the urgency of this surgery, "My eyes were really bad in my thirties and forties. . . I have now just turned 80. I knew I had to have surgery in order to lead a decent life."
Reflecting on the entire experience with a newfound perspective, Mrs. Fischell shares a surprising sentiment about her surgical journey: "The procedure, I almost sort of enjoyed it—can you believe that? I did not look at it as being terrible. . . I knew I had to do it, so maybe I looked at it as my best hope for a happy, pain-free life."
Dr. Jeng's approach was characterized by patience, precision, and a deep understanding of her unique case, which was crucial to the success of the surgeries. Dr. and Mrs. Fischell first met Dr. Jeng, in Maryland where Dr. Jeng performed the initial surgery. For the next three surgeries, following Dr. Jeng’s transition to the Scheie Eye Institute, Dr. and Mrs. Fischell traveled to Philadelphia to follow him.
"I was initially so skeptical of having it done," she said. "That's why I waited so long—I was afraid that I would lose my eyesight; and I figured, at least I have some degree of vision. But I decided I had to do it and thank goodness—and thank Dr. Jeng—it has given me a wonderful new life."
The profound impact of Dr. Jeng’s expertise demonstrates the level of technicality and precision required to successfully manage surgical operations such as those that he performed on Mrs. Fischell. Since Mrs. Fischell’s family members attempted surgical procedures for the same condition over a span of 30 to 50 years ago, advancements at Scheie have continuously improved outcomes through cutting-edge treatments—setting new modern techniques and enhancing the quality of life for patients like Mrs. Fischell. Mrs. Fischell expresses her deep gratitude, "We are extraordinarily grateful for what Dr. Jeng has done. I am so indebted to him and the hospital staff. They have given me a whole new, and much-improved, quality of life." The Fischell family's story is a profound example of how novel medicine, when paired with compassionate care, can change lives.
Mrs. Fischell suffered pain in constancy for more than 60 years. At Scheie, after what Mrs. Fischell describes as a "relatively quick" procedure—one that she had feared for decades—her life was transformed.
"I was scared to do eye surgeries for all these years," Mrs. Fischell reflects. "With the skill and care that I received for my eye surgeries at the Schie Eye Institute, I’m profoundly grateful that my fright was unfounded—and the quality of my vision and my entire life are now tremendously improved."
by Maressa Park