Optical penetrating keratoplasty using a living donor eye

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Procedures
• Corneal Transplantation

Background:

• Keratoplasty is a vital surgical intervention for corneal opacity-induced blindness.
• Donor corneas are typically sourced from deceased individuals.
• Live corneal donation is exceptionally rare due to risks of donor blindness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a case of optical penetrating keratoplasty using a live donor cornea.
• To explore the feasibility of live donation in specific, severe ocular trauma scenarios.

Main Methods:

• A case report of a patient undergoing optical penetrating keratoplasty.
• Utilized a cornea from a live donor following traumatic auto-enucleation of the eyeball.
• The donor cornea was viable despite the severe trauma to the donor's eye.

Main Results:

• Successful optical penetrating keratoplasty was performed.
• The live donor cornea restored vision in the recipient.
• Demonstrated the viability of live donation in extreme circumstances.

Conclusions:

• Live corneal donation can be considered in unique situations.
• Traumatic avulsion of the globe with an intact, non-salvageable eye presents a potential scenario for live donation.
• This case expands the understanding of donor availability for corneal transplantation.