Berjano Enrique J, Navarro Enrique, Ribera Vicente, Gorris Javier, Alió Jorge L
Institute for Research and Innovation on Bioengineering, Technical University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Open Biomed Eng J. 2007 Dec 11;1:71-6. doi: 10.2174/1874120700701010071.
This paper reviews the different applicators and electrodes employed to create localized heating in the cornea by means of the application of radiofrequency (RF) currents. Thermokeratoplasty (TKP) is probably the best known of these techniques and is based on the principle that heating corneal tissue (particularly the central part of the corneal tissue, i.e. the central stroma) causes collagen to shrink, and hence changes the corneal curvature. Firstly, we point out that TKP techniques are a complex challenge from the engineering point of view, due to the fact that it is necessary to create very localized heating in a precise location (central stroma), within a narrow temperature range (from 58 to 76 masculineC). Secondly, we describe the different applicator designs (i.e. RF electrodes) proposed and tested to date. This review is planned from a technical point of view, i.e. the technical developments are classified and described taking into consideration technical criteria, such as energy delivery mode (monopolar versus bipolar), thermal conditions (dry versus cooled electrodes), lesion pattern (focal versus circular lesions), and application placement (surface versus intrastromal).
本文综述了通过施加射频（RF）电流在角膜中产生局部加热所使用的不同施药器和电极。热角膜成形术（TKP）可能是这些技术中最为人所知的，它基于这样的原理：加热角膜组织（特别是角膜组织的中央部分，即中央基质）会导致胶原蛋白收缩，从而改变角膜曲率。首先，我们指出，从工程学角度来看，TKP技术是一项复杂的挑战，因为有必要在精确的位置（中央基质）、狭窄的温度范围（58至76摄氏度）内产生非常局部的加热。其次，我们描述了迄今为止提出并测试的不同施药器设计（即射频电极）。本综述是从技术角度进行规划的，即根据技术标准对技术发展进行分类和描述，这些标准包括能量传递模式（单极与双极）、热条件（干式与冷却电极）、损伤模式（聚焦与圆形损伤）以及应用放置方式（表面与基质内）。
