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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Corneal Donor Tissue Preparation for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Published on: September 17, 2014
Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Graft Preparation for Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Hamish D McKee1, Vishal Jhanji2
1Eye Care Specialists, Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Purpose:
To describe a technique of using a femtosecond laser to assist with graft preparation for Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).
Methods:
A femtosecond laser was used to assist in graft preparation for 3 DMEK procedures. The donor cornea is mounted on a proprietary artificial anterior chamber. A partial thickness deep circular cut is made with the femtosecond laser through the endothelium, Descemet membrane, and posterior stroma. Graft preparation is then completed without the use of a corneal trephine.
Results:
In all cases, graft preparation was successfully completed. Pterygium on a donor cornea resulted in an incomplete cut in 1 case that was finished manually. Subsequent keratoplasties resulted in clear corneas with endothelial cell counts within the expected range.
Conclusions:
The femtosecond laser may be a useful adjunct in graft preparation for DMEK.
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