Neodymium:YAG laser surgery in the hospital district of southwestern Finland during the years 1987 to 1998.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the annual incidence rates of Neodymium:YAG laser procedures in the treatment of eye diseases.


METHODS
In this population-based retrospective study, we evaluated 6,040 patients treated with a Nd:YAG laser in the hospital district of southwestern Finland during the years 1987 to 1998. The corresponding annual incidence rates of different Nd:YAG laser procedures were calculated using the corrected population statistics of the hospital district.


RESULTS
The annual incidence rates of all Nd:YAG laser procedures rose significantly (P < 0.0001) from 32.1 per 100,000 patients in 1987 to 169.0 per 100,000 people in 1998. A great majority of Nd:YAG patients were females with a higher median age than the males in the study (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The rise of the annual population-based incidence rates of cataract surgery with a 7% to 29% need of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomies explained the increase of all Nd:YAG laser procedures.
Saari
K Matti
KM
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Turku, Turku, FIN-20520, Finland.
Tornblom
Riikka-Maija
RM
Paasio
Pekka
P
Tuominen
Juhani
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution