Corneal lathing using the excimer laser and a computer-controlled positioning system: Part II--Variable trephination of corneal buttons.

A new system is presented that allows a variable trephination of donor corneas for the preparation of corneal buttons used in penetrating keratoplasty. With the help of a computer-controlled positioning system that uses high-precision micropositioning elements (both translation and rotational stages) the donor cornea is removed, epithelial side up, in a fixation device in front of a focused excimer laser beam (ArF, lambda = 193 nm). User friendly computer software allows the surgeon to select a variety of parameters (diameter, shape, angle of trephination) of the corneal graft. Histological and electron microscopical data of human corneas trephined with this "Excimer Laser Corneal Shaping System" are presented.