Morphologic characteristics of lamellar channel deposits in the human eye: a case report

To report the histologic characteristics of lamellar channel deposits after polymethyl methacrylate intrastromal corneal ring segments in a human eye.

A 34-year-old man previously diagnosed with keratoconus received photorefractive keratectomy in his left eye that exacerbated his corneal ectasia. To delay or possibly prevent corneal transplant, the patient elected to have intrastromal corneal segments implanted in the left eye. One year later the patient underwent corneal transplant. Before transplant, lamellar channel deposits were noted on clinical microscopic examination of the left eye. We performed histologic evaluation to assess changes to the patient's excised corneal tissue and to further characterize the observed lamellar channel deposits.

Lamellar channel deposits in humans are histologically similar to our previous descriptions of deposits in rabbits. These deposits primarily consist of intracellular lipid accumulations that stain positively with oil red O and filipin but not periodic acid Schiff reaction. Immunohistochemistry of cells located in the deposit region stained positively with vimentin, suggesting that these cells were keratocytes. Stains for cytokeratins 3 and 12 and for CD68 were both negative, indicating that epithelial cells and macrophages were not present in the deposit region.

Lamellar channel deposits are a common clinical finding after intrastromal corneal implants. This case provides further evidence to support our hypothesis that lamellar channel deposits in humans are a tissue response to corneal implants that consist of intracellular lipid accumulations. We use this case to propose a theoretical construct for the observation of stromal lipid accumulation in response to corneal injury.