Overview of the status of the broad range of laser applications.

Excellent microsurgery derives not from natural dexterity alone or from pure book knowledge, but from these features combined with an appreciation of the instrumentation, physical forces, and tissue reactions that create the environment of microsurgery. Ophthalmic Microsurgery: Principles, Techniques, and Applications conveys both the art and science of microsurgery from an ophthalmic perspective. This unique resource begins with the principles and techniques of microsurgery, which can be applied to all types of surgeries and includes detailed laboratory exercises to teach the key concepts. The second section of Ophthalmic Microsurgery addresses the specific applications. While not an encyclopedia of all surgical interventions, Drs. Sumit “Sam” Garg and Roger Steinert, along with their contributors, provide an overview of key surgical competencies that are relevant to the various ophthalmic subspecialties. Ophthalmic Microsurgery is set apart from other similar resources by having a comprehensive and concise focus on translating surgical principles into reality through simple and inexpensive exercises. Grounded in practicality and requiring only basic materials, Ophthalmic Microsurgery: Principles, Techniques, and Applications covers the theory and basics of microsurgery needed during the ophthalmic surgical training of residents and fellows and serves as an excellent manual for the more experienced ophthalmologists looking to refine their technique in microsurgery.

The Nd:YAG laser has finally become the multidisciplinary and muitispeciaity tool of the 1980s. Primarily developed for gastrointestinal applications for controlling bleeding, at present it is also used for endoscopic treatment of gastrointestinal tumors, endobronchial cancer, and bladder and gynecological lesions and finding applications in otorhinolaryngology and neurosurgery. De velopment of laser scalpels and focusing head-pieces has now allowed the Nd:YAG laser to be used for open surgical procedures in general and plastic surgery, head and neck surgery, urology, gynecology, dermatology, and neu rosurgery. The rapid development in ceramic technology has led to contact surgery allowing physicians a choice of excision, vaporization, coagulation, incision, or combinations thereof by easily changing probes rather than having to select new laser wavelengths. This technology is rapidly replacing the carbon dioxide laser which currently has no adequate flexible waveguide for fiberoptic en doscopy, cannot be used in a water medium (e.g., bladder), and has poor coagulation properties when compared to the Nd:YAG laser. Future developments may see the Nd:YAG laser even replacing electro cautery in the operating room due to its greater safety and efficacy. Local hyperthermia (laserthermia) with computer control, photodynamic therapy, and ophthalmic applications make the Nd:YAG laser the most exciting tech nological advancement in medicine and surgery for the 1980s.

Written and edited by the world-famous expert G.O.H. Naumann, this textbook delves into the details of ocular structures such as the nuances of morphology, surgical anatomy and pathology. The text covers unique features of intraocular surgery in closed system and open eye contexts. It goes on to cover crucial aspects of restoring the anterior chamber. Then it delineates the spectrum of potential complications in (pseudo-) exfoliation-syndromes as well as the most vulnerable cell populations. Readers are also treated to the features of normal and pathologic wound healing after non-mechanical laser and mechanical inventions. Brilliant artwork and sketches illustrate the complex pathology.