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Reproducibility of corneal flap thickness in laser in situ keratomileusis using the Hansatome microkeratome

2000; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 26; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0886-3350(00)00639-8

1873-4502

Rengin Yıldırım, Cengiz Aras, Akif Özdamar, Halil Bahçecıoğlu, Síbel A. Özkan,

Corneal Surgery and Treatments

Purpose: To evaluate the reproducibility of flap thickness during laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and to analyze the effect of preoperative central corneal thickness and corneal keratometric power on flap thickness. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Cerrahpasa Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey. Methods: One hundred forty eyes with a mean preoperative pachymetry of 554.4 μm ± 36.3 (SD) and a mean keratometry of 43.5 ± 1.9 diopters had LASIK using the Hansatome automated microkeratome (Bausch & Lomb Surgical) and a 193 nm argon–fluoride excimer laser (Summit SVS Apex Plus). The 180 μm microkeratome plate was used in all procedures. Corneal thickness was measured with an ultrasonic pachymeter (Advent, Mentor O&O Inc.) before and during the flap procedure, and the difference was taken as flap thickness. The data were analyzed using a 1-tailed t test and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The mean flap thickness was 120.8 ± 26.3 μm. There was a low correlation between baseline central corneal thickness and corneal flap thickness (P = .6, r = 0.046). There was no correlation between preoperative keratometry and flap thickness (P = .01, r = 0.203). Conclusions: The Hansatome microkeratome does not always produce a corneal flap of the intended thickness. Factors other than keratometry and pachymetry must affect flap thickness.