Straight needle corneal splinting for anterior segment surgery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Techniques
• Anterior Segment Surgery

Background:

• Corneal splinting is a long-standing surgical practice.
• Modern surgical needles enable precise and gentle placement.
• Scleral ring support is a conventional method for maintaining anterior segment integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel application of corneal splinting using straight suture needles.
• To present an alternative to traditional suture-fixation scleral ring support.
• To detail a technique for preventing corneal collapse during anterior segment surgery.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two straight suture needles (150-micrometer diameter, 16-millimeter length).
• Inserted needles through the clear corneal periphery, traversing the anterior chamber.
• Exited needles through clear cornea in a criss-cross pattern to create a splint.

Main Results:

• The technique effectively provided anterior segment splint support.
• The method prevented corneal collapse during anterior segment surgery.
• The procedure was observed to be quick and easy to perform.

Conclusions:

• Straight suture needles can be effectively used for corneal splinting.
• This technique serves as a viable alternative or adjunct to scleral ring support.
• The described method offers a simple and efficient approach to maintaining corneal integrity in anterior segment surgery.