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Corneal Donor Tissue Preparation for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Published on: September 17, 2014
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Successful DMEK after intraoperative graft inversion
Charles Q Yu1, Christopher N Ta, Mark A Terry
1*Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA; †Corneal Services, Devers Eye Institute, Portland, OR; and ‡Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
Cornea
|November 21, 2014
Summary
Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) graft inversion during surgery did not compromise graft survival. The inverted DMEK graft remained viable with acceptable endothelial cell loss, demonstrating graft hardiness.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Corneal Surgery
- Endothelial Keratoplasty
Background:
- Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is a surgical procedure for endothelial dysfunction.
- The resilience of DMEK grafts to intraoperative complications like inversion is not well-documented.
Observation:
- A 76-year-old male with Fuchs corneal dystrophy experienced intraoperative inversion of the DMEK graft during surgery.
- The inverted graft was successfully reoriented and repositioned after initial deployment.
Findings:
- The graft required rebubbling due to detachment at two weeks post-surgery.
- At two months, the DMEK graft was clear, fully attached, and showed 27.9% endothelial cell loss.
Implications:
- This case suggests that DMEK grafts can tolerate intraoperative inversion and reorientation.
- Successful graft survival despite inversion indicates potential hardiness of DMEK grafts.
- Further studies are warranted to establish the long-term outcomes and implications of such events.
