Corneal lathing using the excimer laser and a computer-controlled positioning system: Part II--Variable trephination of corneal buttons.
A new system is presented that allows a variable trephination of donor corneas for the preparation of corneal buttons used in penetrating keratoplasty. With the help of a computer-controlled positioning system that uses high-precision micropositioning elements (both translation and rotational stages) the donor cornea is removed, epithelial side up, in a fixation device in front of a focused excimer laser beam (ArF, lambda = 193 nm). User friendly computer software allows the surgeon to select a variety of parameters (diameter, shape, angle of trephination) of the corneal graft. Histological and electron microscopical data of human corneas trephined with this "Excimer Laser Corneal Shaping System" are presented.
Husinsky
W
W
Institut für Allgemeine Physik, Technical University, Vienna, Austria.
Mitterer
S
S
Altmann
J
J
Grabner
G
G
Baumgartner
I
I
Skorpik
F
F
Asenbauer
T
T
D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted