Wider femtosecond laser channels allow less traumatic Intacs implantation, surgeon says

ATHENS — A study comparing two different channel sizes for Intacs implantation performed with the IntraLase femtosecond laser showed larger channels made insertion easier with fewer complications, according to a speaker here.

"We included in the study 168 keratoconic eyes of 110 patients," Aylin Ertan, MD, said at the ESCRS Winter Refractive Surgery Meeting. "They were divided into two groups, according to IntraLase channel size: wide channels of 6.7 mm by 8.2 mm and narrow channels of 6.6 mm by 7.6 mm. The two groups were compared according to mean changes in uncorrected visual acuity, best corrected visual acuity, manifest spherical equivalent, mean K-value and complications within 6 months after surgery."

The Intacs were easy to insert in the wide channels, she noted. Narrow channels had to be dilated using confocal microscopy.

After implantation, UCVA and BCVA improved in both groups, and a significant improvement of K-values was observed. Comparing the two groups, visual acuity and refraction did not show a significant difference, and K-values were comparable.

"The narrow channel group had a higher rate of minor complications," Dr. Ertan said. "Epithelial plug, yellow deposits and tunnel haze around the segments were seen more frequently in these patients. In the same group there was also a tendency of the inferior segment to move upward and slightly come out of the incision, though we didn't have any case of extrusion. The same complication was not observed in the wide channel group."