SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MARKING CORNEAL TISSUE IN A TRANSPLANT PROCEDURE
A system and method for marking corneal tissue in a transplant procedure is disclosed. Sidecut incisions are made in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea. Crosscut incisions are made across the sidecut incision in each cornea. Corneal tissue which is at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision is resected from the recipient cornea. Part of the crosscut incision made in the recipient cornea extends beyond the resected corneal tissue. Donor tissue which is at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision is resected from the donor cornea. Part of the crosscut incision made in the donor cornea is in the resected donor tissue. The donor tissue is then grafted into the recipient cornea.
1 . A method of transplanting donor tissue from a donor cornea to a recipient cornea, the method comprising:
making a sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
making a crosscut incision across the sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
resecting corneal tissue from the recipient cornea, the corneal tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the recipient cornea, wherein a first part of the crosscut incision made in the recipient cornea extends beyond the resected corneal tissue;
resecting donor tissue from the donor cornea, the donor tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the donor cornea, wherein a second part of the crosscut incision made in the donor cornea is in the resected donor tissue; and
grafting the donor tissue into the recipient cornea.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein grafting the donor tissue into the recipient cornea includes aligning the first part of the crosscut incision with the second part of the crosscut incision.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the crosscut incision made in each cornea does not extend through either cornea.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein making the crosscut incision includes making the crosscut incision at an anterior corneal surface in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the incisions made in the recipient cornea form a first incision pattern, the incisions formed in the donor cornea form a second incision pattern, and the first incision pattern matches the second incision pattern.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising placing a suture along the aligned parts of the crosscut incisions.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the incisions are made using a surgical laser.
8 . A method of transplanting donor tissue from a donor cornea to a recipient cornea, the method comprising:
making a sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
making a crosscut incision across the sidecut incision and at an anterior corneal surface in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
resecting corneal tissue from the recipient cornea, the corneal tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the recipient cornea, wherein a first part of the crosscut incision made in the recipient cornea extends beyond the resected corneal tissue;
resecting donor tissue from the donor cornea, the donor tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the donor cornea, wherein a second part of the crosscut incision made in the donor cornea is in the resected donor tissue; and
grafting the donor tissue into the recipient cornea by aligning the first part of the crosscut incision with the second part of the crosscut incision.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the crosscut incision made in each cornea does not extend through either cornea.
10 . The method of claim 8 further comprising placing a suture along the aligned parts of the crosscut incisions.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the incisions are made using a surgical laser.
12 . A method of transplanting donor tissue from a donor cornea to a recipient cornea, the method comprising:
making a sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
making a plurality of crosscut incisions across the sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea, wherein the incisions made in the recipient cornea form a first incision pattern, the incisions formed in the donor cornea form a second incision pattern, and the first incision pattern matches the second incision pattern;
resecting corneal tissue from the recipient cornea, the corneal tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the recipient cornea, wherein a first part of each crosscut incision made in the recipient cornea extends beyond the resected corneal tissue;
resecting donor tissue from the donor cornea, the donor tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the donor cornea, wherein a second part of each crosscut incision made in the donor cornea is in the resected donor tissue; and
grafting the donor tissue into the recipient cornea by aligning the first part of each crosscut incision in the recipient cornea with a matching second part of each crosscut incision in the donor tissue.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the crosscut incisions are made at an anterior corneal surface of each cornea.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the crosscut incisions made in each cornea do not extend through either cornea.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the crosscut incisions made in each cornea are equally spaced about the sidecut incision.
16 . The method of claim 12 further comprising placing a plurality of sutures, each suture being placed along the aligned parts of one of the crosscut incisions.
17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the incisions are made using a surgical laser.
18 . A system for resecting corneal tissue, the system comprising:
a surgical laser adapted to emit a pulsed laser beam;
a focusing assembly adapted to focus the pulsed laser beam into a cornea;
an interface adapted to provide a plurality of incision patterns for selection of a sidecut pattern and provide options for selection of a crosscut incision quantity; and
a controller in communication with the interface to receive the sidecut pattern and the number of crosscut incisions from the interface, the controller being adapted to
move a focal point of the pulsed laser beam within the cornea using the focusing assembly,
direct the focal point of the pulsed laser beam to make a sidecut incision in the cornea according to the sidecut pattern, wherein the corneal tissue being resected is at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision, and
make a plurality of crosscut incisions according to the crosscut incision quantity, the crosscut incisions being incised across the sidecut incision.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the crosscut incisions are equally spaced about the sidecut incision.
20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the crosscut incisions do not extend through the cornea.
21 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the crosscut incisions are made at an anterior corneal surface.
22 . A system for resecting corneal tissue, the system comprising:
a surgical laser adapted to emit a pulsed laser beam;
a focusing assembly adapted to focus the pulsed laser beam into a cornea;
an interface adapted to provide a plurality of incision patterns for selection of a resection pattern which includes a sidecut and a plurality of crosscuts which cross the sidecut; and
a controller in communication with the interface to receive the resection pattern, the controller being adapted to
move a focal point of the pulsed laser beam within the cornea using the focusing assembly, and
direct the focal point of the pulsed laser beam to make a resection incision in the cornea according to the resection pattern.
23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the crosscuts are equally spaced about the sidecut.
24 . The system of claim 22 , wherein portions of the resection incision which correspond to the crosscuts do not extend through the cornea.
25 . The system of claim 22 , wherein of the resection incision which correspond to the crosscuts are made at an anterior corneal surface.