This study was to determine the feasibility and reproducibility of laser welding of cornea with a CO₂ laser system capable of real times infrared fiberoptic radiometric control of tissue temperature. A fiberoptic radiometric temperature control system for the CO₂ 10.6 micrometers laser was developed that enabled a real time nontactile temperature measurement of welding surface. The system was tested on the cornea in 40 in vitro bovine eyes, and also in 6 in vivo corneas of rabbit eyes. Welds performed at a set point temperature of 65 degree(s)C, with or without adjuvant 50% albumin solder. Leaking pressure, surgical time and histologic evaluation were determined for welding and for suturing controls of 6 mm central corneal perforating cuts.

Date Published: 21 May 2001
PDF: 13 pages
Proc. SPIE 4244, Lasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems XI, (21 May 2001); doi: 10.1117/12.427799

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4244:
Lasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems XI
Lawrence S. Bass M.D.; David S. Robinson M.D.; Eugene A. Trowers M.D.; Kenton W. Gregory M.D.; Lou Reinisch; Kenneth Eugene Bartels D.V.M.; R. Rox Anderson M.D.; Reza S. Malek M.D.; Kenneth Eugene Bartels D.V.M.; Lloyd P. Tate V.D.M.; Abraham Katzir; C. Gaelyn Garrett M.D.; Timothy A. Woodward M.D.; Hans-Dieter Reidenbach; George M. Peavy D.V.M.; Lawrence S. Bass M.D.; C. Gaelyn Garrett M.D.; Michael D. Lucroy D.V.M.; Kenton W. Gregory M.D.; Abraham Katzir; Nikiforos Kollias; Michael D. Lucroy D.V.M.; Reza S. Malek M.D.; J. Stuart Nelson M.D.; George M. Peavy D.V.M.; Hans-Dieter Reidenbach; Lou Reinisch; David S. Robinson M.D.; Lloyd P. Tate V.D.M.; Eugene A. Trowers M.D.; Timothy A. Woodward M.D., Editor(s)