Laser welding in penetrating keratoplasty and cataract surgery of pediatric patients: early results

Francesca Rossi; Roberto Pini; Luca Menabuoni; Alex Malandrini; Annalisa Canovetti; Ivo Lenzetti; Paolo Capozzi; Paola Valente; Luca Buzzonetti

doi:10.1117/12.2003553

26 March 2013 Laser welding in penetrating keratoplasty and cataract surgery of pediatric patients: early results

Francesca Rossi, Roberto Pini, Luca Menabuoni, Alex Malandrini, Annalisa Canovetti, Ivo Lenzetti, Paolo Capozzi, Paola Valente, Luca Buzzonetti

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8567, Ophthalmic Technologies XXIII; 85671R (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2003553
Event: SPIE BiOS, 2013, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Diode laser welding of ocular tissues is a procedure that enables minimally invasive closure of a corneal wound. This procedure is based on a photothermal effect: a water solution of Indocyanine Green (ICG) is inserted in the surgical wound, in order to stain the corneal tissue walls. The stained tissue is then irradiated with a low power infrared diode laser, delivering laser light through a 300-μm core diameter optical fiber. This procedure enables an immediate closure of the wounds: it is thus possible to reduce or to substitute the use of surgical threads. This is of particular interest in children, because the immediate closure improves refractive outcome and anti-amblyopic effect; moreover this procedure avoids several general anaesthesia for suture management. In this work, we present the first use of diode laser welding procedure in paediatric patients. 5 selected patients underwent cataract surgery (Group 1), while 4 underwent fs-laserassisted penetrating keratoplasty (Group 2). In Group 1 the conventional surgery procedure was performed, while no stitches were used for the closure of the surgical wounds: these were laser welded and immediately closed. In Group 2 the donor button was sutured upon the recipient by 8 single stitches, instead of 16 single stitches or a running suture. The laser welding procedure was performed in order to join the donor tissue to the recipient bed. Objective observations in the follow up study evidenced a perfect adhesion of the laser welded tissues, no collateral effects and an optimal restoration of the treated tissues.

Citation Download Citation

Francesca Rossi, Roberto Pini, Luca Menabuoni, Alex Malandrini, Annalisa Canovetti, Ivo Lenzetti, Paolo Capozzi, Paola Valente, and Luca Buzzonetti "Laser welding in penetrating keratoplasty and cataract surgery of pediatric patients: early results", Proc. SPIE 8567, Ophthalmic Technologies XXIII, 85671R (26 March 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2003553

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