Corneal trephination with the femtosecond laser.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility and cut quality of corneal trephination in human donor corneal tissue with the femtosecond laser.


METHODS
Twelve human corneoscleral discs were inserted in an artificial anterior chamber. After corneal thickness measurement and tonometry, the cornea was mounted on a femtosecond laser (FEMTEC; 20/10 Perfect Vision, Heidelberg, Germany) through a contact lens (patient interface). Trephination was performed with diameters of 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, and 8.5 mm in 3 corneas each. The corneal button was removed from the corneoscleral disc in 2 of the 3 corneas in each case. The cut was not manipulated in the remaining corneas to enable histologic detection of possible tissue bridges. The cut edges were macroscopically and light-microscopically examined for quality.


RESULTS
Corneal buttons and corneoscleral discs could be separated by blunt dissection in all cases. Tissue bridges were more common in thicker edematous corneas than in thinner ones. Both the macro- and microscopic examination disclosed smooth rectilinear cut margins with a perpendicular cut edge.


CONCLUSIONS
This feasibility study shows that the femtosecond laser enables sufficient trephination of human donor corneas.
Meltendorf
Christian
C
Department of Ophthalmology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Schroeter
Jan
J
Bug
Reinhold
R
Kohnen
Thomas
T
Deller
Thomas
T
D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures