Article
Microsurgery of eye vessels
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Published: | June 18, 2008 |
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Microsurgical repair and anastomosis of eye vessels will open up new prospects in ophthalmic surgery, such as in the treatment of severe eye injuries and in successful transplantation of separate sections and tissues of the eye. The purpose of this work to study the possibility of suturing defects on the walls of eye vessels or anastomosis by means of manual suture techniques.
Methods: 150 procedures were carried out on posterior long ciliary arteries (PLCA) from cadaver eyes. An artery was selected from the tissures surrounding the optic nerve at the point before the nerve entered the sclera. Polyethylene cannula of appropriate diameter was introduced into the artery lumen and artery was cut off the vascular tract. Longitudinal defects on the walls of ciliary arteries were made by blade. The defects were sewn up with interrupted and continuous sutures. Intravascular staining was used to check the tightness of the suture lines.
Results: Series of 150 operations on isolated PLCA of the eye showed that operations on the vessels are technically possible. The interrupted suture proved to be most preferable when 11-0 suture material was used.
Conclusions: Microvascular ophthalmic surgery leads to the development of new technical methods of eye transplantation and will make it possible to perform operations on the optic nerve.