Premium
Optic nerve sheath fenestration with a novel wavelength produced by the free electron laser (FEL)
Author(s) -
Joos Karen M.,
Shen Jin H.,
Shetlar Debra J.,
Casagrande Vivien A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
lasers in surgery and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1096-9101
pISSN - 0196-8092
DOI - 10.1002/1096-9101(2000)27:3<191::aid-lsm1>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - fenestration , optic nerve , glial fibrillary acidic protein , medicine , pathology , anatomy , surgery , immunohistochemistry
Background and Objective To determine whether 6.45‐μm free electron laser (FEL) energy can successfully perform optic nerve sheath fenestration and to compare the acute and chronic cellular responses with this surgery. Study Design/Materials and Methods Optic nerve sheath fenestration was performed in rabbits by using either FEL energy (< 2.5 mJ, 10 Hz, 325‐μm spot size) or a knife. The optic nerve integrity and glial response were evaluated histologically acutely or 1 month postoperatively. Results The FEL at low energy effectively cut the optic nerve sheaths with minimal reaction in the underlying nerve. With FEL or knife surgical techniques, a mild astrocytic hypertrophy only adjacent to the fenestration was observed acutely in the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) ‐immunoreacted sections. The chronic healing responses after either technique appeared similar with: (1) a thin fibrous scar at the fenestration site, (2) cells uniformly distributed (hematoxylin and eosin), and (3) up‐regulation of GFAP and S100β in astrocytes adjacent to the fenestration site. Conclusion The FEL at low energy performs an optic nerve sheath fenestration in a small space with ease. Both FEL and knife incisions cause a similar rapid glial response near the fenestration site that remains 1 month later. Lasers Surg. Med. 27:191–205, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.