[Vitrectomy under temporary keratoprosthesis]

In vitreoretinal disorders complicated by corneal opacity, a temporary keratoprosthesis device is placed into a trephined opening in the cornea to provide a clear stable view which permits the performance of pars plana vitrectomy and immediately following the vitrectomy, the keratoprosthesis is replaced by a corneal graft. Using this technique, we have saved blind eyes with corneal and vitreoretinal disorders in one surgical procedure, being a new approach for rehabilitation of eye sight. Since 1990, the operation has been performed on 10 patients of whom 9 obtained satisfactory results. They were the patients who had been impossible to be saved by other methods and had been abandoned. The patient with the best result had been followed for 15 months and his visual acuity achieved and maintained 0.3. In six cases, the operation was combined with multiple procedures in the vitreous, such as gas fluid exchange, internal drainage of subretinal fluid, injection of silicone oil, etc. to facilitate the reattachment of the complicated retinal detachment.