Posters

Femtolaser-assisted refractive autokeratoplasty in keratoconus: a pilot study

Poster Details

First Author: H.Sitnik BELARUS

Co Author(s):    Y. Slonimsky   A. Slonimsky   T. Imshenetskaya        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Development of a new method of autokeratoplasty with the use of femtosecond laser in patients with advanced keratoconus and evaluation of early results of treatment.

Setting:

Belarusian Medical Academy of Post-Graduate Education, Minsk

Methods:

17 patients with advanced keratokonus were included in the study, mean age 33 ± 8.4 years old. Femtolaser-assisted refractive autokeratoplasty was performed with the use of «IntraLase 60 kHz». 1-st circular cut at an angle to the surface is fulfilled on distance 1.5-2.0 mm from limbus to a depth of up to 90% of stroma thickness. 2-nd circular cut perpendicular to surface, on distance from 150 to 300 mm from the first one, is performed so that the cuts intersected at a predict depth and circular corneal flap with wedge-shaped profile was formed. After flap removal corneal wound was sutured.

Results:

Operation and early post-op period were uneventful. Mean UCVA significantly improved from 0.07±0.03 to 0.26±0.13 to 3 months after surgery. Between 3 to 6 months after surgery, we observed an increase of visual functions (like UCVA and BCVA). The improvement of BCVA was observed in 94.1%, and in 76.5% of cases the increase was more than 3 lines. The cylindrical component decreased from 9.1 ± 3.8 to 4.4 ± 2.75 D.

Conclusions:

Femtolaser-assisted refractive autokeratoplasty is a new method of treatment of stable advanced keratoconus, which helps to improve optical capacity of cornea, allows to save the patient's own cornea, improve both UCVA and BCVA. Non-penetrating nature of the operation helps to minimize the risk of surgical treatment. The use of femtosecond laser for corneal stroma resection provides high accuracy and predictability. Further research is needed to determine functional long-term outcomes. FINANCIAL DISCLOUSRE: NONE