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Air lamellar keratoplasty
1St Vincent Hospital and Health Care Center, Indianapolis, IN.
Refractive & Corneal Surgery
|July 1, 1989
Summary
This study introduces an air injection technique for deep lamellar keratoplasty, aiming to improve visual outcomes. While some cases required conversion, most achieved good visual acuity, suggesting potential for this novel corneal surgery approach.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Corneal Surgery
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Lamellar keratoplasty can lead to visual impairment due to interface issues.
- Challenges include matching tissue thickness and preventing host-graft vascularization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel air-injection technique for deep lamellar keratectomy.
- To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of this new surgical approach.
Main Methods:
- Air injection into the corneal stroma to create a dissection plane anterior to Descemet's membrane.
- Use of a full-thickness donor button with endothelium removal.
- Evaluation of ten eyes with a follow-up of 6-15 months.
Main Results:
- Four cases (40%) were converted to penetrating keratoplasty.
- Of the remaining six eyes, five had incomplete dissections.
- Five eyes achieved spectacle-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better.
Conclusions:
- The air-injection technique shows promise for deep lamellar keratoplasty.
- Further refinement is needed to address technical limitations and improve dissection completeness.
- The procedure can yield good visual acuity in selected cases.