- SINGAPORE (AFP) -- A blind
Thai teenager has regained his sight after an operation in Singapore that
involved implanting into an eye an artificial cornea fashioned from one
of his teeth, a report said Sunday.
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- Surgical teams from the Singapore National Eye Centre
and National Dental Centre completed the two-part operation, believed to
be the first of its kind carried out in the region, on 19-year-old Luck
Pewnual in June, the Sunday Times reported.
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- The first stage was performed in February when surgeons
extracted a canine tooth, including its root, bone and ligaments, from
Pewnual's mouth and shaped it into a cube.
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- A hole was drilled into the centre of the tooth cube
and a plastic cylinder inserted into the hole, eventually to channel light
to the retina.
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- The tooth cube was inserted into the teenager's right
cheek to grow a new blood supply.
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- In the second and final stage of the operation, carried
out in June, a hole was cut into one of Pewnual's corneas to accept the
tooth cube, which was removed from his cheek and implanted to function
as an artificial cornea.
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- Doctors said the tooth-in-eye operation was a last resort
for patients who lost their sight because their corneas had become severely
damaged.
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- Pewnual, who became blind six years ago from a rare and
severe allergic reaction, was chosen for the landmark surgery because he
had the best chance of success, they said.
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- "He has an excellent set of teeth," said doctor
Andrew Tay from the National Dental Centre.
-
- Several patients from the region are now waiting to undergo
the operation, which cost about 15,000 Singapore dollars (US$8823), the
report said.
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- The tooth-in-eye technique was pioneered in Italy 40
years ago, it said.
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