Ultrasound biomicroscopic evaluation of the efficacy of a transillumination technique for ciliary sulcus localization in transscleral fixation of posterior chamber intraocular lenses.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of the transillumination technique for precisely locating the ciliary sulcus in transscleral fixation of posterior chamber intraocular lenses (PC IOLs) by determining the haptic positions with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).


METHODS
Department of Ophthalmology, Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.


METHODS
Ultrasound biomicroscopy was used to determine the haptic positions in eyes with ab externo transsclerally fixated PC IOLs. Eyes were randomly assigned to a control group, in which transscleral fixation of a PC IOL was performed, or an endoilluminator-assisted group, in which transscleral fixation was combined with transillumination.


RESULTS
The study evaluated 33 eyes of 28 patients ranging in age from 16 to 81 years. The control group comprised 19 eyes (17 patients) and the endoilluminator-assisted group, 14 eyes (12 patients). All haptics were easily visualized with UBM. The UBM examination showed that the rate of haptics located in the sulcus was statistically significantly higher in the endoilluminator-assisted group (64%) than in the control group (24%) (P= .001). There was no significant difference in either group in the rate of precise sulcus location between the straight needle and the 28-gauge insulin needle (P> .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed the difficulty in reliably suturing the haptics in the ciliary sulcus, even with the use of a transillumination technique. However, the results suggest that the transillumination technique is a safe and easy procedure and helps the surgeon identify the ciliary sulcus during transscleral fixation of PC IOLs more precisely than without the use of transillumination.
Alp
Mehmet Numan
MN
Department of Ophthalmology, Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. mnalp@yahoo.com
Buyuktortop
Nesrin
N
Hosal
Banu Melek
BM
Zilelioglu
Guler
G
Kural
Gulcan
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular / Q000379:methods*; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012590:Sclera / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014821:Vitrectomy; D055815:Young Adult