title: Femtosecond laser-assisted pediatric cataract surgery: Bochum formula.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess capsulotomy enlargement after femtosecond laser treatment in pediatric cataract surgery and to assess the possible relationship to the patient's age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ruhr University Eye Hospital, Bochum, Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anterior and posterior laser capsulotomies were performed in cases of pediatric cataract. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to evaluate the relationship between the programmed capsulotomy diameter and the achieved capsulotomy diameter. Linear bivalent regression analysis was used to describe the extent to which the capsulotomy enlargement factor was age dependent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two eyes of 18 children were included in the trial. The mean age was 9.2 years ± 6.08 (SD) (range 0.17 to 18.0 years). The enlargement factors of the capsulotomies showed a highly significant negative correlation with patient age (r = -0.863; P < .001). In particular, younger children had a distinct deviation from the target diameter. Using linear bivalent regression analysis, an age-depending correction formula was developed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Bochum formula for pediatric laser capsulotomies helped minimize the age-dependent deviation from the targeted diameter. Anterior and posterior laser capsulotomies in children were safe to perform.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
authors.affiliation: From the Institute of Vision Science, Ruhr University Eye Hospital, Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: burkhard.dick@kk-bochum.de.
authors.forename: H Burkhard
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Dick
authors.affiliation: From the Institute of Vision Science, Ruhr University Eye Hospital, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Desiree
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schelenz
authors.affiliation: From the Institute of Vision Science, Ruhr University Eye Hospital, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schultz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D057866:Anterior Capsule of the Lens / Q000601:surgery; D001036:Aphakia, Postcataract / Q000601:surgery; D001699:Biometry / Q000379:methods; D002386:Cataract / Q000151:congenital*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053685:Laser Therapy; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D011446:Prospective Studies