Comparison of the maximum applicable stretch force after femtosecond laser-assisted and manual anterior capsulotomy

摘要

Purpose: To objectively measure the strength of the capsulotomy performed with a femtosecond laser-assisted technique or performed manually in a pig-eye laboratory study. Setting: International Vision Correction Research Centre, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Design: Experimental study. Methods: Ten fresh pig eyes were randomly assigned to femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy or manual capsulotomy. The capsule was immersed in hyaluronic acid, and retractors were fixed in the capsule opening with a pull-force measuring device. The force necessary to break the capsulotomy was measured in millinewtons (mN); the maximum stretching ratio was also assessed. Results: The observed mean rupture force (ie, maximum amount of force measured immediately before tissue rupture) was 113 mN ?? 12 (SD) in the laser-assisted procedure and 73 ?? 22 mN in the manual procedure (P<.05). The stretching ratios were 1.60 ?? 0.10 (femtosecond) and 1.35 ?? 0.04 (manual) (P<.05). Conclusion: In this laboratory pig-eye study, femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy resulted in a significantly stronger anterior capsule opening than the standard manually performed capsulotomy. Financial Disclosure: Drs. Auffarth, Reddy, and Holzer have received research and travel grants from Technolas Perfect Vision GmbH. Mr. Ritter is an employee of Technolas Perfect Vision GmbH, Munich, Germany. ? 2013 ASCRS and ESCRS.