title: Fine needle diathermy - a choice for managing corneal vascularization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Corneal vascularization develops as a result of various corneal diseases. Fine- needle diathermy (FND) is one of the methods to occlude corneal vessels.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of this method in a series of patients with corneal vascularization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty eight patients with corneal vascularization were treated with FND. The patients were divided into four groups according to etiological factors like pre-keratoplasty (high risk patients), increased keratopathy, recurrent inflammation and postkeratoplasty rejection .The FND was performed under local anaesthesia with the help of a corneal needle of 10-0 monofilament nylon suture. The success of treatment was evaluated in terms of regression and occlusion of corneal vessels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main aim of a complete occlusion of blood vessels was achieved in all patients. The most frequent complication seen was a transient whitening of the cornea especially around the needle entry in nine cases, which cleared within 24 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FND is a simple safe, inexpensive and effective treatment. It can be repeated and used as an alternative therapy for corneal vascularization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences, Indore, India. shreyathatte@gmail.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thatte
mesh_terms: D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003972:Diathermy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000379:methods*; D009339:Needles; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity