Laser Assisted Corneal Transplants!

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jayuk
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Laser Assisted Corneal Transplants!

Postby jayuk » Mon 17 Apr 2006 2:52 pm

I think I have bored people a few times with my thoughts on the current limitations for Corneal Transplants; mainly around

a) the development of next generation Anti Rejection drugs which will eliminate rejections

b) laser assisted cutting and donor material re-attachment (a BIG advance and one that will make an enormous leap in the right direction for better vision, no sutures, controlled healing, etc)

Well, the latter; whilst still being researched extensively in USA since 2004, has been performed in Italy last month!....

Take a read....a definite move in the right direction and one that has been needed for a while!!....still in early days though!

Laser Assisted Corneal Transplant
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Postby Sweet » Mon 17 Apr 2006 3:33 pm

Oh WOW! That is all really interesting!!! Hoping that this will be a move in the right direction and isn't it nice that this is headed by a European country and NOT America!!! :P

Thanks for the link and please keep us posted if you find out anything else!

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Postby jayboi2005 » Mon 17 Apr 2006 4:44 pm

Thats great! If i ever need a graft i would think that will be here in time. :lol:
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Postby GarethB » Mon 17 Apr 2006 7:29 pm

I know some companies have experimented with a glue.

Basically stick the sides of an incission together instead of stitching and as the wound heals, the glue disloves in to the body.
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Postby Sweet » Mon 17 Apr 2006 7:33 pm

Hhmm kinda like the glue we use on minor wounds to hold the edges together? Am not sure though that i would trust it to hold a cornea in place! :wink:

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Postby GarethB » Mon 17 Apr 2006 7:38 pm

They are getting stronger as tests are underway to see if glue can be used to put bones back together instead of using pins and metal plates.

I know that 'soft casts' are gradually replacing the old full plaster cast that we are more familier with.
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Postby jayuk » Mon 17 Apr 2006 8:41 pm

Well Id like to think that within 10 years we will haev alot more options when it comes to corneal surgery..if alot of the emerging treatments do stand the test of time and safety!
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Postby Andrew MacLean » Tue 18 Apr 2006 10:55 am

There is no doubt that this is a time of tremendous advance in surgical technique. Not lease is the advance in both cutting and repairing technologies.

Questions about glue: is it just absorbed into the system of the host? or does to become a permanent feature of the host system?

Question about laser cutting: is this done by "burning", and if so is there any residual damage to the tissue. A flint scalple at least leaves the tissue "clean".

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Postby Sweet » Tue 18 Apr 2006 11:12 am

Hhmm i don't know anything about using glue with corneas! But the glue we use on minor wounds just sits on the surface holding it together for about five days. You keep it dry and then just wash it off after that! Really great stuff and brilliant with kids so long as it is kept dry!! It does work exactly like super glue really hehe!

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Postby Andrew MacLean » Tue 18 Apr 2006 11:19 am

I just re-read the article Jay posted. Not only were the incisions made by laser, the surgery was carried out by robot.

I am not sure that the laser element is the greater advance!
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