Bilateral recurrent calcareous degeneration of the cornea

To report clinical, histologic, and electron microscopic findings in several consecutive keratoplasties with recurrent pancorneal calcification in a patient with chronic graft versus host disease and severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca following bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Altogether 5 penetrating keratoplasties were performed in both eyes for descemetocele formation and corneal perforation as well as pancorneal calcification associated with severe visual loss. Histologic examination and electron microscopy were performed on the corneal buttons obtained.

Histology and electron microscopy confirmed pancorneal extracellular calcium deposition with increasing severity in each consecutive keratoplasty. Calcification was associated with necrosis and inflammation of the corneal stroma. Clinically unsuspected fungal keratitis was observed in 1 specimen.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, epithelial defects, corneal inflammation, and infection are most probably responsible for the recurrent pancorneal calcification seen in our patient. The role of cytokines in this complication is discussed.