title: Obtaining maximal optic nerve length during enucleation procedures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine optimal scissor blade design and surgical approach to facilitate obtaining a long optic nerve segment during enucleation procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred mock enucleations were performed with the use of a human child skull model and a silicone sphere to simulate an eye. Temporal and nasal approaches with scissor blades with noncurved, mildly curved, or strongly curved blades were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longer optic nerve segments were obtained with mildly curved scissor blades from both temporal and nasal surgical approaches. Strongly curved scissor blades uniformly produced smaller specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mildly curved scissors should be used for enucleation when a long optic nerve specimen is desired. Strongly curved scissors should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston 77030, USA. dcoats@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Coats
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Paysse
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D015353:Eye Enucleation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*