Robot-assisted tremor control for performance enhancement of retinal microsurgeons

2018 ◽  
Vol 103 (8) ◽  
pp. 1195-1200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Roizenblatt ◽  
Alex Treiger Grupenmacher ◽  
Rubens Belfort Junior ◽  
Mauricio Maia ◽  
Peter L Gehlbach

Pars plana vitrectomy is a challenging, minimally invasive microsurgical procedure due to its intrinsic manoeuvres and physiological limits that constrain human capability. An important human limitation is physiological hand tremor, which can significantly increase the risk of iatrogenic retinal damage resulting from unintentional manoeuvres that affect anatomical and functional surgical outcomes. The limitations imposed by normal physiological tremor are more evident and challenging during ‘micron-scale’ manoeuvres such as epiretinal membrane and internal limiting membrane peeling, and delicate procedures requiring coordinated bimanual surgery such as tractional retinal detachment repair. Therefore, over the previous three decades, attention has turned to robot-assisted surgical devices to overcome these challenges. Several systems have been developed to improve microsurgical accuracy by cancelling hand tremor and facilitating faster, safer and more effective microsurgeries. By markedly reducing tremor, microsurgical precision is improved to a level beyond present human capabilities. In conclusion, robotics offers potential advantages over free-hand microsurgery as it is currently performed during ophthalmic surgery and opens the door to a new class of revolutionary microsurgical modalities. The skills transfer that is beyond human capabilities to robotic technology is a logical next step in microsurgical evolution.

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Al Rubaie ◽  
J. Fernando Arevalo

A 54-year-old healthy male presented complaining of sudden loss of vision in the right eye. Initial visual acuity was counting fingers. The patient’s acute vision loss developed after sexual activity. Color fundus photos and fluorescein angiography were performed showing a large subinternal limiting membrane hemorrhage in the macular area. A 23-gauge sutureless pars plana vitrectomy with brilliant blue assisted internal limiting membrane peeling was performed with best-corrected visual acuity recovery to 20/50 at 6 months of followup.


Retina ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1927-1934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takayuki Baba ◽  
Sumiyoshi Tanaka ◽  
Tomohiro Nizawa ◽  
Toshiyuki Oshitari ◽  
Shuichi Yamamoto

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 926
Author(s):  
Max Philipp Brinkmann ◽  
Stephan Michels ◽  
Carolin Brinkmann ◽  
Mario Damiano Toro ◽  
Nicole Graf Johansen ◽  
...  

Background: Previous studies have shown that epiretinal membranes (ERMs) may be associated with abnormal outer retinal anatomy. However, long-term morphological and functional results of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with ERM and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in eyes with central bouquet (CB) alterations have not yet been investigated. Methods: In a retrospective, consecutive study all patients underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) testing and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) before and after a mean of 20 months (range 3–70 months) postoperatively. CB abnormalities and ERMs were classified according to Govetto’s staging systems. Results: Of the 67 eyes, 22 (34%) showed CB abnormalities at baseline. The mean BCVA increased from 0.42 at baseline to 0.20 LogMAR at final follow-up (p < 0.001). Neither ERM stage (p = 0.06) nor CB stage (p = 0.939) at baseline were significant predictors of vision improvement following surgery. Conclusions: Our results show that baseline BCVA, but not classification of CB changes and ERM at baseline, seems to be a useful predictor for functional outcomes following PPV with ERM and ILM peeling in the long-term.


2018 ◽  
Vol 103 (10) ◽  
pp. 1495-1502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu-Ting Hu ◽  
Qin-Tuo Pan ◽  
Jing-Wei Zheng ◽  
Zong-Duan Zhang

PurposeThe aim of this study was to determine the effect of the inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap technique on the macular hole (MH) closure and foveal microstructure recovery of patients with highly myopic MH.MethodsPars plana vitrectomy and gas tamponade with the inverted ILM flap technique (19 eyes) or with the ILM peeling technique (21 eyes) were performed in patients with highly myopic MH with or without retinal detachment. The rate of MH closure and retinal reattachment, the reconstructive anatomical change of the foveal microstructure and the best-corrected visual acuities (BCVA) of the two groups were compared.ResultsThe anatomic closure rate was statistically significantly higher in the inverted group (100%) than in the peeling group (66.7%; p=0.009). All eyes with MH retinal detachment had successful retinal reattachment in these two groups. However, the rate of the external limiting membrane (ELM) and ellipsoid zone (EZ) (p=0.020), as well as gliosis (p=0.049) in macular area, detected by OCT, was significantly greater in the inverted group than in the peeling group. The postoperative BCVA was significantly better in the eyes with ELM, EZ (p=0.031) and gliosis (p=0.008), but without hyperreflective foci (p=0.001).ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate that the inverted ILM flap technique has better efficacy than the ILM peeling technique for patients with myopic MH in closure rate, foveal microstructure and postoperative BCVA.


Epiretinal membrane (ERM), also known as macular pucker, premacular fibroplasia, premacular gliosis, or cellophane maculopathy is a common vitreoretinal interface pathology that can result in mild to moderate visual impairment with an impact on the quality of life. ERM can be classified as primary “idiopathic” or secondary. Most ERMs occur in individuals older than 50 years, and the prevalence of ERM increases as age increases. The pathological mechanisms are not entirely known, however, the posterior vitreous detachment is thought to be key. Diagnosis and classification of ERM are based on clinical examination findings. However, high resolution spectral domain-optic coherence tomographies (SD-OCTs) have proven to be more sensitive than clinical examination for the diagnosis of numerous disorders of the vitreomacular interface, including ERM. SD-OCTs enable the pre-and postoperative comparison of macular structures in a non-invasive examination. In treatment, surgical intervention entails pars plana vitrectomy with ERM removal with or without internal limiting membrane (ILM) removal. Good visual recovery was present in most patients after surgery.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaele Nuzzi ◽  
Federico Tridico

The main treatment available for idiopathic macular holes is represented by pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling. However, late-stage macular holes are affected by a higher risk of surgical failure. Although adjuvant techniques can be employed, a satisfactory functional recovery is difficult to achieve in refractory macular holes. Given their neuroprotective and antiapoptotic properties, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may represent an appealing approach to treat these extreme cases. The purpose of this review is to highlight the findings regarding healing mechanisms exerted by mesenchymal stem cells and preliminary application in cases of refractory macular holes. When compared with MSCs, MSC-derived exosomes may represent a feasible alternative, given their reduced risk of undesired proliferation and easiness of use.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Giansanti ◽  
Ruggero Tartaro ◽  
Tomaso Caporossi ◽  
Daniela Bacherini ◽  
Alfonso Savastano ◽  
...  

Introduction. Recurrent or persistent macular holes (MHs) are rare today due to the tendency to carefully peel the internal limiting membrane. Conversely, their treatment is still a challenge for a vitreoretinal surgeon. Materials and Methods. This is a retrospective, consecutive, and nonrandomized study of patients affected by recurrent or persistent MHs treated using small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (25- or 23-gauge) and an autologous ILM plug, at the Eye Clinic of Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi (Florence, Italy) between January 2016 and May 2018. We included 8 eyes of 8 patients in the study. Five patients had a recurrent MH while 3 had a persistent MH. The case series includes patients with myopic eyes and with large macular holes (>400 μ). Patients were followed up with ophthalmoscopic examinations and swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Results. The mean age of the patients was 74 years (±4.81 standard deviation (SD)), 3 patients were men and 5 women. The average axial length was 26.28 mm (±2.84 SD). Four patients had an AL ≧ 26 mm. The mean MH diameter was 436.5 (±49.82 SD). Average preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.81 logMAR (±0.16 SD) and 20/125 Snellen. The ILM plug has been found integrated in the MH in all the follow-ups. Conclusion. In our study, an ILM autologous macular transplant was used successfully in 5 cases of macular hole recurrence and 3 cases of macular hole persistence. The anatomical success was achieved in all the cases; 4 patients improved their BCVA, and 4 patients maintained it. No macular alterations such as RPE or retinal atrophy/dystrophy were observed after 6 months.


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