Sutureless lamellar keratoplasty with lenticule from small incision lenticule extraction for treating limbal dermoid:...

The present study reports the case of a superficial limbal dermoid surgically treated without suture by using a new technique of lamellar keratoplasty with allogenic lenticule from small incision lenticule extraction. The limbal lesion area was circumscribed by a trephine marker and lamellae were peeled off the anterior corneal stroma and sclera. After excision of the dermoid, the liquid on the bed was dried as much as possible and an appropriate stromal lenticule was attached to the implant bed without fibrin glue or suture. A bandage contact lens was applied to fix the graft. During postoperative follow-ups, the anterior segment optical coherence tomography, corneal refractive power, corneal topography and best-corrected visual acuity were examined to evaluate the surgical results. On the first day after the operation, the patient reported tearing and pain at the site. At one week after the operation, the patient reported no discomfort and conjunctival sutures were removed. At one month after the operation, the thickness of the lesion area was similar to that of the adjacent cornea, and the corneal curvature and refractive power of the lesion area were higher than that of the adjacent cornea. At three months after the operation, the patient was satisfied with the cosmetic outcome and no sign of corneal neovascularization, graft rejection or pseudo-pterygium formation was observed. The astigmatic error remained at 2.50 D. The present case provides insights into a potential treatment option for patients who need lamellar keratoplasty and may provide its benefit in contrast to conventional lamellar keratoplasty.