Does Fluid Temperature Affect Corneal Endothelium-Descemet Membrane Scroll Formation? An In Vitro Study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Surgery
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Descemet membrane (DM) transplantation is a key procedure in treating corneal diseases.
• The handling and preparation of DM grafts, including their unfolding time, are critical for surgical success.
• Variations in graft roll tightness can impact surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if fluid temperature influences the unfolding time of Descemet membrane (DM) graft rolls.
• To assess the impact of different balanced salt solution (BSS) temperatures on DM graft morphology.
• To provide insights into optimal graft preparation techniques for corneal transplantation.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, ex vivo, and experimental study design.
• DM grafts were categorized by baseline roll tightness and exposed to four different BSS temperatures (8°C, 16°C, 23°C, and 36°C).
• Unfolding time and changes in roll tightness were monitored over 5 and 10 minutes.

Main Results:

• DM roll formations exhibited variability based on donor cornea characteristics.
• No significant differences in roll tightness were observed among the different BSS temperature groups after 5 or 10 minutes.
• Neither tightening nor loosening of DM rolls occurred at any tested temperature.

Conclusions:

• Balanced salt solution (BSS) temperature does not appear to affect the unfolding time or stability of Descemet membrane (DM) graft rolls.
• These findings suggest that intraoperative fluid temperature is unlikely to be a critical variable influencing DM graft preparation.
• Further research may explore other factors affecting DM graft handling and outcomes.