One-Step Intraoperative Optical Coherence Tomography Guided Tunnel, Mushroom Femtosecond Laser Big Bubble Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty

Abstract

The aim of our study is to investigate the feasibility and outcomes of using a femtosecond laser (FSL) platform (Ziemer LDV Z8) for deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), enabling the creation of mushroom-shaped graft–host junctions, lamellar cuts, and intrastromal tunnels, to facilitate the big bubble, in one step. We included wet lab experiments on nine porcine eyes to assess the laser accuracy and cuts depth using an anterior segment (AS) OCT. This was followed by an interventional prospective case series on 10 eyes with variant corneal pathologies. The Z8 system, with in-built intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT), guided corneal scans and directed the cuts. ASOCT showed visible mushroom configurations, lamellar cuts, and tunnels. Deviations from the target were 1.6%, 2.6%, and 3.5%. Anterior lamellar removal was easy in all clinical cases, including corneal scarring. The intrastromal tunnel was found at the preset location and the mushroom configuration was acquired. A big bubble was achieved in all cases. Type 1, 2, and 3 bubbles were formed in eight, one, and one case, respectively. We describe a new approach to DALK in which the in-built iOCT-guided FSL enables safe, precise, controlled, and reproducible desired cuts in one step. The preliminary clinical outcomes were favorable.