Jules Gonin, MD, developed the ignipuncture retinopexy system for repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments. An alcohol flame was used to heat the needle which was used to perform retinopexy via a trans-scleral approach. Subretinal fluid drainage occurred as well. Dr. Gonin was the first to recognize that retinal breaks caused retinal detachments; breaks are not a result of detachment.