Vitreoretinal surgery assisted by the 193-nm excimer laser.
OBJECTIVE
Ablating and cutting vitreoretinal membranes using a 193-nm excimer laser-based microsurgical system.


METHODS
A 193-nm microsurgical system enables delivery of the beam into a fluid medium to cut preretinal and subretinal membranes. Two patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and one patient with proliferative vitreoretinopathy were treated with this new device.


RESULTS
Gentle ablation and cutting of the preretinal and subretinal membranes without exerting any traction on or apparent damage to the neighboring tissue was achieved.


CONCLUSIONS
The technology is applicable to a variety of intraocular vitreoretinal surgical procedures.
Hemo
I
I
Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Palanker
D
D
Turovets
I
I
Lewis
A
A
Zauberman
H
H
D000368:Aged; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D012591:Scleral Buckling; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy; D018630:Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*