Remote Topography-Guided Transepithelial Photorefractive Combined Phototherapeutic Keratectomy Telesurgery

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to report the first remote telesurgery in a case of epithelial basement membrane disease with recurrent corneal erosions. Methods. Topography-guided transepithelial photorefractive combined phototherapeutic keratectomy (PRK-PTK) is a surgical option that treats corneal irregularities and prevents the recurrences of erosions while treating the refractive error. Results. We performed for the first time a remote transepithelial topography-guided combined PRK-PTK using the iRes®2 excimer laser platform (iVIS Technologies, Taranto, Italy), with the surgeon sitting in his own room and controlling the excimer laser in remote with 5G connection through the Remote Control Station and the patient in the operating room. At one-month post-operative, visual acuity was 20/20 and the patient's symptoms subsided. Conclusions. Our surgery opens the era of telesurgery in the corneal panorama.