HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (10) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kim, J. Y. Articles by Tchah, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kim, J. Y. Articles by Tchah, H.

A Femtosecond Laser Creates a Stronger Flap than a Mechanical Microkeratome

From the Department of Ophthalmology and Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

PURPOSE. To compare corneal flaps made with a femtosecond (FS) laser with those made with a mechanical microkeratome (MM) in rabbits, measuring early postoperative inflammation and apoptosis and late postoperative adhesion strength.

METHODS. Study 1 involved four treatment groups: one with flaps made only with the FS laser (FS group), one with flaps made with the FS laser followed by excimer laser ablation (FS+LASIK), one with flaps made with the MM, and one with flaps made with the MM followed by excimer laser ablation (MM+LASIK). The eyes were analyzed by histology and TUNEL staining for apoptosis at 4 and 24 hours. Study 2 involved two reference groups: an FS group and an MM group. Adhesion strength was measured with a tension meter 1 and 3 months later.

RESULTS. Study 1: Inflammatory cell infiltration in the central cornea was significantly greater in the FS group than in the MM group at 4 and 24 hours (P < 0.05) and was significantly greater in the FS+LASIK group than in the MM+LASIK group at 24 hours (P < 0.05). Infiltration at the peripheral interface was significantly greater in the FS group than in the MM group and was significantly greater in the FS+LASIK group than in the MM+LASIK group at 24 hours (P < 0.05). Study 2: At 1 and 3 months, 126.7 and 191.3 grams of force (gf) were needed to detach the flaps in the FS group, compared with 65 and 127.5 gf in the MM group, respectively. The grams of force needed was significantly higher in the FS group than in the MM group at 3 months (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS. The FS laser produces greater corneal stromal inflammation than the MM early postoperatively without any increase in apoptosis and stronger flap adhesion late postoperatively. Therefore, it may require stronger anti-inflammatory drugs to be administered.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Z.-Y. Zhang, R.-Y. Chu, X.-T. Zhou, J.-H. Dai, X.-H. Sun, M. R. Hoffman, and X.-R. Zhang Morphologic and Histopathologic Changes in the Rabbit Cornea Produced by Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Multilayer Intrastromal Ablation Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., May 1, 2009; 50(5): 2147 - 2153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Ding, W. H. Knox, J. Buhren, L. J. Nagy, and K. R. Huxlin Intratissue Refractive Index Shaping (IRIS) of the Cornea and Lens Using a Low-Pulse-Energy Femtosecond Laser Oscillator Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., December 1, 2008; 49(12): 5332 - 5339. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Meltendorf, G. J. Burbach, J. Buhren, R. Bug, C. Ohrloff, and T. Deller Corneal Femtosecond Laser Keratotomy Results in Isolated Stromal Injury and Favorable Wound-Healing Response Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., May 1, 2007; 48(5): 2068 - 2075. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]