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Boston type I keratoprosthesis for visual rehabilitation in a patient with gelatinous drop-like corneal dystrophy
M Soledad Cortina1, Isaac W Porter, Joel Sugar
1University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA. mcortina@uic.edu
Purpose:
To report the use of a Boston type I keratoprosthesis as a primary penetrating procedure to treat gelatinous drop-like corneal dystrophy (GDLD), with presentation of pathologic findings and discussion of other surgical options.
Case Report:
A 49-year-old woman with GDLD in both eyes and history of recurrent corneal opacification following multiple superficial keratectomies is presented. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was counting fingers in both eyes. A Boston type I keratoprosthesis was implanted in her left eye after optical iridectomy, extracapsular cataract extraction, and anterior vitrectomy.
Results:
The surgery was uneventful and one month after surgery, best corrected vision improved to 20/20 and has been maintained for a period of more than 14 months. No post-operative complications were observed. Histopathology of the corneal specimen is presented.
Conclusions:
GDLD is a rare disorder of amyloid deposition. Recurrence of this condition following surgery is extremely common. Boston type I keratoprosthesis is an effective procedure for restoring vision in affected patients.
