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Updated: Oct 15, 2025
Corneal Donor Tissue Preparation for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Published on: September 17, 2014
Clinical results after single asymmetrical shark fin for graft orientation in DMEK
Annekatrin Rickmann1, Karl Boden2,3, André M Trouvain2
1Eye Clinic Sulzbach, Knappschaft Hospital Saar, An der Klinik 10, 66280, Sulzbach, Germany. Annekatrin.Rickmann@kksaar.de.
Purpose:
Evaluating the effect of a single peripheral triangular mark to ensure the correct anterior-posterior graft orientation in DMEK.
Methods:
Retrospective study of patients scheduled for DMEK due to Fuchs endothelial dystrophy and divided into 2 study groups: Group -M (n = 184) had no mark of the EDM (Endothelial Descemet membrane) and group + M (n = 193) had a triangular peripheral mark. Follow-up time was 1 year after surgery.
Results:
The postoperative graft turning and Re-DMEK rate could be significantly reduced by the use of a peripheral mark (p = 0.002, p = 0.001, respectively). Re-DMEK due to primary graft failure was significantly associated with prior graft turning (p < 0.001). Both groups showed comparable values for visual acuity, central corneal thickness and endothelial cell count after a follow-up of 1 year.
Conclusion:
Single peripheral triangular marking is a simple and cost-saving addition to EDM preparation to ensure the correct orientation of the graft intraoperatively and could lead to a significant reduction in graft turning and re-DMEK rate in this study.
