when Brent Chapman I heard his doctor first suggest surgically planting his doctor teeth in his eyes He admits he felt anxious in order to restore his vision. However, after undergoing the procedure and talking to a now-known Australian woman Skiing After 20 years of blindness, he knew he had to try.
Now Chapman is part of history. As Canada plays it The first bone in history, odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP), It is also known as Teeth eye surgery. This amazing procedure is to give hope to patients with severe corneal blindness. People like Chapman have no choice.
Surgery mechanism
According to CBCThe OOKP procedure is as rare as it is groundbreaking. It will be done in Two stagesI’ve been away for several months.
First, the teeth are extracted, reshaped and equipped with a plastic light lens. Teeth, usually dogdentin is Hardest biological materials It is produced by the human body and is the ideal foundation for lenses.
Once corrected, the prepared teeth are temporarily implanted in the patient cheekso that you can develop it The vessels and soft tissues help to integrate into the eyes later.
Meanwhile, the patient’s eyes are prepared for implantation. The surgeon will remove it Scar tissue from the cornea And replace it with a small one Organizational flap From inside the cheek, which acts as a protective cover. This step is extremely important as it creates an environment in which the implanted teeth function properly.
A few months later, the tooth implants were removed from the cheeks. sew In front of me. The result is a Small black circular opening and pink eyesallowing patients to see through the implanted lens.
Why use teeth?
The idea of seeing teeth may sound strange, but there is solid medical reasoning behind it. According to Dr. Greg Moloneyan ophthalmologist who leads surgery in Canada, because dental dentin is very strong and biocompatible, lens.
Unlike artificial implants that often trigger Immune rejectionthe patient’s own teeth are naturally accepted by the body. This dramatically increases the chances of long-term success. 94% of patients In a 2022 Italian study, Average of 27 years After the surgery.
The final resort procedure has life-changing results
Teeth eyes Surgery isn’t like that Miraculous treatment For blindness of all kinds. It is specifically designed for patients with corneal blindness due to autoimmune disease, chemical burns, or severe scarring. An important requirement is that the retina and optic nerves must still function.
Due to the complexity and strength of the procedure, it is It is performed only with one eye. Furthermore, it comes with the surgery riskincluding infections that can lead to complete vision loss, surgical complications requiring additional surgery, and, in rare cases, the failure of the implant that requires removal.
Still, for patients like Chapman, the balance of risk rewards is clear. I spent 20 years 50 ophthalmological surgeriesonly temporary improvements, he is pleased to bet everything in this last hope.
Canada’s first eye dental surgery clinic
Previously, Canadian patients requiring OOKP surgery have had to travel abroad. It’s about to change. Dr. Moloney has already achieved seven successes OOKP surgery In Australia, we would like to first establish a dedicated Canadian clinic. Mount St. Joseph’s Hospital in Vancouver.
Thank you for $430,000 In donations from the St. Paul Foundation, the clinic will be funded for the first three years, after which Providence Healthcare will be integrated into the annual budget.
Doctor Samir JabulThe ophthalmologist at the Center Hospiari Dell University Montreal calls this “A great opportunity for Canadian medicine.” He points out that although OOKP is rare, having options available within Canada significantly reduces patient burden.
Second chance in life
In the case of Brent Chapman, A dream of a sight It’s within reach. If his final surgery is successful, he looks forward to doing what he once loved: basketball, traveling, and seeing the world again, finally doing what he once loved.
“Hopefully this will break some position,” he says. “If other people in Canada need this and it becomes an established treatment, I’d feel really great about it.”
