Micropulse and continuous wave diode retinal photocoagulation: visible and subvisible lesion parameters
Abstract
Subvisible micropulse diode laser photocoagulation localises retinal laser damage because brief micropulses allow little time for heat conduction to spread temperature rise from the retinal pigment epithelium to the neural retina. Treatment power is often chosen as a multiple of that needed for visible continuous wave lesions. The authors measured clinical laser powers needed for visible end point micropulse and continuous wave diode laser retinal photocoagulation. Six parallel rows of 10 diode laser (810 nm) burns were made in the superior peripheral retina of six consecutive patients undergoing their initial frequency doubled Nd:YAG (532 nm) panretinal photocoagulation for proliferative or severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. All photocoagulation exposures were 125 microm in retinal diameter and 0.2 seconds in duration. Micropulse exposures were performed with 500 Hz, 0.3 ms micropulses. The minimal power needed (1) for visible continuous wave diode photocoagulation was determined from two adjacent rows of laser lesions and (2) for visible micropulse diode photocoagulation from four additional adjacent rows of laser lesions. Fluorescein angiograms and red-free fundus photographs were obtained immediately and 6 days ...Continue Reading
Associated Clinical Trials
References
What is the meaning of threshold in laser injury experiments? Implications for human exposure limits
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Cardiac Conduction System
The cardiac conduction system is a specialized tract of myocardial cells responsible for maintaining normal cardiac rhythm. Discover the latest research on the cardiac conduction system here.