Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Corneal Donor Tissue Preparation for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Published on: September 17, 2014
Intrastromal Descemet Membrane Transplantation as a Potential Alternative to Bowman Layer Inlays in Eyes With
Oganes Oganesyan1, Vostan Getadaryan, Carolina Oganesyan
1Cornea Department, The Helmholtz Moscow Institute of Eye Diseases (O.O., V.G.), Moscow, Russia ; Cornea Department, The Charles University (C.O.), Prague, Czech Republic ; Melles Cornea Clinic, Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery (NIIOS) (K.v.D., G.M.), Rotterdam, the Netherlands ; and Melles Cornea Clinic, NIIOS-USA (K.v.D., G.M.), San Diego, CA.
Abstract:
Herein, we report the outcomes of intrastromal Descemet membrane (DM) transplantation in corneas with advanced keratoconus. Three eyes (three patients) showed advanced keratoconus. No eye underwent prior UV-cross-linking or any other ocular surgery. In all eyes, A donor DM was implanted into a mid-stromal pocket and clinical outcomes were evaluated up to 24 months after surgery. All procedures were uneventful. Up to 24 months postoperatively, the DM graft was well-positioned and barely visible within the recipient stroma; all corneas were clear. No eye showed signs of keratoconus progression throughout the follow-up. No changes were observed in uncorrected and best contact lens corrected visual acuity, central endothelial cell density, corneal thinnest point pachymetry, and maximum keratometry values. No early or late postoperative complications were observed. Intrastromal DM transplantation may be an alternative to intrastromal Bowman layer transplantation in advanced keratoconus, to postpone deep anterior lamellar or penetrating keratoplasty.
