In vitro conjunctival incision repair by temperature-controlled laser soldering

Abstract

The common method of closing conjunctival incisions is by suturing, which is associated with several disadvantages. It requires skill to apply and does not always provide a watertight closure, which is required in some operations (e.g., glaucoma filtration). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate laser soldering as an alternative method for closing conjunctival incisions. Conjunctival incisions of 20 ex vivo porcine eyes were laser soldered using a temperature-controlled fiberoptic laser system and an albumin mixed with indocyanine green as a solder. The control group consisted of five repaired incisions by a 10-0 nylon running suture. The leak pressure of the repaired incisions was measured. The mean leak pressure in the laser-soldered group was 132 mm Hg compared to 4 mm Hg in the sutured group. There was no statistically significant difference in both the incision's length and distance from the limbus between the groups, before and after the procedure, indicating that there was no severe thermal damage. These preliminary results clearly demonstrate that laser soldering may be a useful method for achieving an immediate watertight conjunctival wound closure. This procedure is faster and easier to apply than suturing.