Microinterventional system for robot-assisted gonioscopic surgery- technical feasibility and preclinical evaluation in synthetic eye models.

Background: Preclinical technical feasibility study of robot-assisted microinvasive glaucoma surgery using a novel ophthalmic robot-assisted surgery system.

Methods: Feasibility was assessed in synthetic eye models in two stages: Stage I, nonimplantable robot-assisted goniotomy; and Stage II, robot-assisted stent implantation using a trabecular bypass stent. Robot-assisted interventions were subsequently compared to the manual approach.

Randomised controlled trial on robot-assisted versus manual surgery for pucker peeling.

Background: The aim was to explore the feasibility and safety of performing common surgical steps in epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling using the Preceyes Surgical System (PSS).

Methods: In a tertiary centre, 15 pseudophakic patients with an idiopathic ERM were randomised to robot-assistance or manual surgery in a 2:1 ratio. In the robot-assisted group, the following steps were performed using PSS: (1) staining the internal limiting membrane (ILM), (2) removal of the dye, (3) creating an ILM flap, (4) completing the peeling, (5) holding a light pipe and (6) fluid-air exchange.

Advantages of robotic assistance over a manual approach in simulated subretinal injections and its relevance for gene therapy.

Subretinal injection is a method for gene delivery to treat genetic diseases of the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium. A reflux-free subretinal injection is important to allow effective, safe, and cost-effective gene therapy to the retina. We report on a comparison between manual and robotic assistance in simulated subretinal injections using an artificial retina model.

A comparison of robotic and manual surgery for internal limiting membrane peeling.

Purpose: To compare the Preceyes Surgical Robotic System (Eindhoven, Netherlands) to manual internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling using the Eyesi surgical simulator (VRmagic, Mannheim, Germany) as the operative platform.

Methods: A comparative study was carried out with surgeons initially performing ILM peeling manually and then with the robot. Twenty-three vitreoretinal surgeons agreed to participate and all consented to the use of their surgical data from the Eyesi surgical simulator.

High-resolution excitation and absorption spectroscopy of gas-phase p-coumaric acid: unveiling an elusive chromophore.

We report on the first successful high-resolution spectroscopic studies on isolated para-coumaric acid, the chromophore of the photoactive yellow protein which has become a model system for studying biological light-induced signal transduction. Employing various double-resonance multiphoton ionization techniques in combination with mass-resolved ion detection and the results of quantum chemical calculations, we identify three conformations the molecule can adopt under our experimental conditions. The vibrational activity in the excitation spectra allows us to conclude that in the Franck-Condon region accessed from the ground state S(1) is the V'(pipi*) state.