Clinical evaluation of reprocessed blades in LASIK.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate outcome and complications in LASIK with reprocessed blades.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of patients' charts submitted to complete custom LASIK from January 2004 to June 2005. Inclusion criteria comprised surgical description of blade use and minimum follow-up of 1 month. The blade was reprocessed following a clinic protocol, from 1 to 3 times (reprocessed group) and results compared with patients that underwent LASIK with first-use blades (first-use group).


RESULTS
Two hundred fifty-one eyes of 135 patients were analyzed (spherical equivalent of -3.69 (D). There was no statistical differences between first-use group and reprocessed blade group regarding intraoperative (5.5% vs 8.8%), early (50.5% vs 49.5%) and late complications (33% vs 27.5%), respectively. Uncorrected visual acuity >or= 20/20 (68.1% vs 66.9%), aberrometry analysis (total RMS: 0.62 vs 0.64 microm) and safety (85.7% vs 83.1%) were similar between groups (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Reprocessed blades following rigid sterilization protocol may have similar outcomes and complications rates in LASIK surgery compared to first-use blades.
Setor de Cirurgia Refrativa, Departamento de Oftalmologia da Universidade Federalde São Paulo e Instituto da Visão, São Paulo, Brasil. fkmallmann@hotmail.com
Felipe
F
Mallmann
Celina
C
Murata
Ester Sakae
ES
Yamazaki
Mauro
M
Campos
D000328:Adult; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors