Anmeldung zur Tagung
Registration
Grußwort
Invitation
Themen
Topics
Allgemeiner Ablauf
General overview
Wissenschaftliches Programm
Scientific program
Kurse
Courses
Symposien
Symposiums
Frühstück mit Spezialisten
Breakfast with specialists
Arzthelferinnen-Fortbildung
Rahmenprogramm
Social program
DOG Information
DOG Information
Allgemeine Informationen
General Information
Autorenindex
Index of Authors
Ausstellerliste
Exhibitors
Sponsoren
Sponsors
Teilnahmegebühren
Registration fees
Impressum
A novel method to optimize the blade geometry of microsurgical knives
1Weingaertner W. E., 1Spraul C. W., 2Schirmer E., 2Strobel S., 1Lang G. K.
1Dept. of Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany; 2GFDmbH, Ulm, Germany
Purpose: In order to study the cutting performance of microsurgical
devices it is necessary to systematically modify the blade geometry in
a reproducible manner. This is nearly impossible with conventional diamond
knives and may be very difficult with metal blades.
Methods: We used a novel process for the production of artificial
diamond in order to reproducibly manufacture blades with different cutting
angle, surface roughness, blade geometry, etc. The fabrication process
of the blades is adapted from Microsystem technologies and is based on
a high quality CVD diamond film of some tens of microns in thickness deposited
on a silicon wafer as known from IC-technology. The mechanical properties
of this synthetic diamond film are almost equal to those of natural diamond
and the surface of this film is mirror-like after deposition without the
need for post-polishing. The shape of the blade can be laterally defined
concerning the surgeons needs and is transferred into the diamond film
by a plasma polishing process. The different blades were characterized
using a device to study the force which was necessary to penetrate the
eye. Additionally, ophthalmic surgeons evaluated the different knives
in a masked fashion and the penetration through the cornea was studied
using an intraocular video system.
Results: The new production method results in highly reproducible,
laterally free-shaped diamond blades. For the first time it has become
possible to systematically vary all important parameters that determine
the cutting performance of a blade in a controlled manner. It was even
possible to correlate these parameters with the subjective perception
of the surgeon who evaluated the new diamond knives. The results show
that it is possible to systematically study the effect of a change of
certain parameters of microsurgical blades on the cutting performance.
Conclusion: This video demonstrates a method which allows to study
the effect of the blade geometry on the cutting performance of microsurgical
devices in a systematical way. This method eliminates the need to use
the subjective perception of a surgeon to characterize the cutting performance
of ophthalmic blades and is, therefore, an objective and cost effective
manner to study actual and future blade design.