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Atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses of low-temperature laser welding of the cornea

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Abstract

Low-temperature laser welding of the cornea is a technique used to facilitate the closure of corneal cuts. The procedure consists of staining the wound with a chromophore (indocyanine green), followed by continuous wave irradiation with an 810 nm diode laser operated at low power densities (12–16 W/cm2), which induces local heating in the 55–65 °C range. In this study, we aimed to investigate the ultrastructural modifications in the extracellular matrix following laser welding of corneal wounds by means of atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results evidenced marked disorganization of the normal fibrillar assembly, although collagen appeared not to be denatured under the operating conditions we employed. The mechanism of low-temperature laser welding may be related to some structural modifications of the nonfibrillar extracellular components of the corneal stroma.

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Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to Dr. Luca Menabuoni for realizing the surgeries. We would also like to thank Dr. Stefano Pardini (Italpork Srl) for preparing the eye samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Fisica Applicata, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

    Paolo Matteini & Roberto Pini

  2. Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio di Dinamiche Complesse (CSDC), Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

    Francesca Sbrana

  3. Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

    Bruno Tiribilli

Authors
  1. Paolo Matteini
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  2. Francesca Sbrana
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  3. Bruno Tiribilli
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  4. Roberto Pini
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Correspondence to Paolo Matteini.

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Matteini, P., Sbrana, F., Tiribilli, B. et al. Atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses of low-temperature laser welding of the cornea. Lasers Med Sci 24, 667–671 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-008-0617-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-008-0617-4

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