Asheim Collin, Puri Ashok, Song Helen, Armstrong Brian, Navon Sam, Krueger Ronald
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
Hoskinson Health and Wellness Center, Gillette, WY, USA.
NPJ Digit Med. 2025 Jun 4;8(1):330. doi: 10.1038/s41746-025-01682-3.
Corneal opacification impairs vision and may necessitate surgery. Ipsilateral rotational autokeratoplasty (IRA) offers an alternative to allograft keratoplasty for treating localized opacities within the visual axis while minimizing risks. A novel digital twin software was developed to assess IRA feasibility and optimize surgical planning. Using corneal imaging, pachymetry, topography, and corneal white to white measurements, the software dynamically adjusts surgical variables, including trephine size and placement, graft rotation, and curvature matching, without manual calculations. This tool provides precise graft placement parameters to maximize the amount of clear cornea in the visual axis. Retrospective use on a past IRA case confirmed its accuracy and significantly reduced planning time. A patient undergoing IRA with this software achieved successful graft placement, improved visual function, and no post-operative complication or rejection. By reducing cognitive load and standardizing planning, this software enhances IRA procedures, making them more efficient and standardized.
角膜混浊会损害视力，可能需要进行手术。同侧旋转式自动角膜移植术（IRA）为治疗视轴内的局限性混浊提供了一种替代同种异体角膜移植术的方法，同时将风险降至最低。开发了一种新型数字孪生软件来评估IRA的可行性并优化手术规划。该软件利用角膜成像、测厚、地形图和角膜白对白测量，无需人工计算即可动态调整手术变量，包括环钻大小和位置、植片旋转和曲率匹配。该工具提供精确的植片放置参数，以最大化视轴内透明角膜的面积。对过去一例IRA病例的回顾性应用证实了其准确性，并显著缩短了规划时间。一名使用该软件接受IRA手术的患者成功植入了植片，视觉功能得到改善，且无术后并发症或排斥反应。通过减轻认知负担和规范规划，该软件改进了IRA手术，使其更高效、更规范。
