Novel wolf-toothed forceps for single-piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyes

Abstract This study introduces an innovative surgical instrument, the “wolf-toothed forceps,” and evaluates its clinical application in conjunction with the Z.S. fixation technique for managing aphakic eyes with significant corneal astigmatism lacking lens capsule support. This was a pilot, case ser...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jianhui Zhang, Shancheng Si, Liu Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12866-y
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849343881142861824
author Jianhui Zhang
Shancheng Si
Liu Zhang
author_facet Jianhui Zhang
Shancheng Si
Liu Zhang
author_sort Jianhui Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study introduces an innovative surgical instrument, the “wolf-toothed forceps,” and evaluates its clinical application in conjunction with the Z.S. fixation technique for managing aphakic eyes with significant corneal astigmatism lacking lens capsule support. This was a pilot, case series, and interventional study. The novel “wolf-toothed forceps,” integrated with the Z.S. fixation technique, was applied to astigmatic aphakic eyes requiring secondary toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Ophthalmological examinations were performed in all patients, including slit-lamp photography and swept-source optical coherence tomography, for quantitative assessment of toric IOL position. The visual acuity measurements were converted to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (log MAR) units for analysis. Eleven eyes of 11 patients with significant corneal astigmatism (1.58 ± 0.52 diopters [D]) lacking lens capsule support were enrolled. At 1-month visit postoperatively, the outcomes demonstrated significant visual improvement, with the uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of 0.47 ± 0.26 log MAR, and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0.29 ± 1.23 log MAR. Refractive outcomes showed excellent astigmatic correction, reducing mean whole-eye residual astigmatism to 0.30 ± 0.28 D (P < 0.001). The swept-source optical coherence tomography showed favorable stability (tilt: 5.12 ± 1.27°; decentration: 0.25 ± 0.14 mm). During the 6-month follow-up period, no severe complications related to the novel “wolf-toothed forceps” or Z.S. fixation technique were found. Our pilot study demonstrates that the wolf-toothed forceps combined with Z.S. fixation technique provides effective and safe single-piece toric IOL scleral fixation in complex aphakic eyes with significant corneal astigmatism lacking lens capsule support, achieving predictable refractive correction and stable visual rehabilitation without serious postoperative complications. The technique shows particular promise for cases where traditional IOL scleral fixation is not feasible.
format Article
id doaj-art-596ead8a9c324054895f44ce75cad827
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-596ead8a9c324054895f44ce75cad8272025-08-20T03:42:49ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511610.1038/s41598-025-12866-yNovel wolf-toothed forceps for single-piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyesJianhui Zhang0Shancheng Si1Liu Zhang2School of Clinical Medicine, Eye institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Xiamen UniversityTsinghua Medicine, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital Eye Center, Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (BERI), Tsinghua UniversitySchool of Clinical Medicine, Eye institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Xiamen UniversityAbstract This study introduces an innovative surgical instrument, the “wolf-toothed forceps,” and evaluates its clinical application in conjunction with the Z.S. fixation technique for managing aphakic eyes with significant corneal astigmatism lacking lens capsule support. This was a pilot, case series, and interventional study. The novel “wolf-toothed forceps,” integrated with the Z.S. fixation technique, was applied to astigmatic aphakic eyes requiring secondary toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Ophthalmological examinations were performed in all patients, including slit-lamp photography and swept-source optical coherence tomography, for quantitative assessment of toric IOL position. The visual acuity measurements were converted to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (log MAR) units for analysis. Eleven eyes of 11 patients with significant corneal astigmatism (1.58 ± 0.52 diopters [D]) lacking lens capsule support were enrolled. At 1-month visit postoperatively, the outcomes demonstrated significant visual improvement, with the uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of 0.47 ± 0.26 log MAR, and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0.29 ± 1.23 log MAR. Refractive outcomes showed excellent astigmatic correction, reducing mean whole-eye residual astigmatism to 0.30 ± 0.28 D (P < 0.001). The swept-source optical coherence tomography showed favorable stability (tilt: 5.12 ± 1.27°; decentration: 0.25 ± 0.14 mm). During the 6-month follow-up period, no severe complications related to the novel “wolf-toothed forceps” or Z.S. fixation technique were found. Our pilot study demonstrates that the wolf-toothed forceps combined with Z.S. fixation technique provides effective and safe single-piece toric IOL scleral fixation in complex aphakic eyes with significant corneal astigmatism lacking lens capsule support, achieving predictable refractive correction and stable visual rehabilitation without serious postoperative complications. The technique shows particular promise for cases where traditional IOL scleral fixation is not feasible.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12866-yWolf-toothed forcepsSingle-piece intraocular lensZ.S. Fixation techniqueIntraocular lens scleral fixation
spellingShingle Jianhui Zhang
Shancheng Si
Liu Zhang
Novel wolf-toothed forceps for single-piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyes
Scientific Reports
Wolf-toothed forceps
Single-piece intraocular lens
Z.S. Fixation technique
Intraocular lens scleral fixation
title Novel wolf-toothed forceps for single-piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyes
title_full Novel wolf-toothed forceps for single-piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyes
title_fullStr Novel wolf-toothed forceps for single-piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyes
title_full_unstemmed Novel wolf-toothed forceps for single-piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyes
title_short Novel wolf-toothed forceps for single-piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyes
title_sort novel wolf toothed forceps for single piece intraocular lens scleral fixation in astigmatic aphakic eyes
topic Wolf-toothed forceps
Single-piece intraocular lens
Z.S. Fixation technique
Intraocular lens scleral fixation
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12866-y
work_keys_str_mv AT jianhuizhang novelwolftoothedforcepsforsinglepieceintraocularlensscleralfixationinastigmaticaphakiceyes
AT shanchengsi novelwolftoothedforcepsforsinglepieceintraocularlensscleralfixationinastigmaticaphakiceyes
AT liuzhang novelwolftoothedforcepsforsinglepieceintraocularlensscleralfixationinastigmaticaphakiceyes