ABSTRACT
Purpose: To analyze the visual outcome and complications of Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) with their management in 256 eyes at a tertiary eye care center in southern India. Methods: This is a retrospective interventional study of 62 months duration conducted at a tertiary eye care center in southern India. Two hundred and fifty?six eyes of 205 patients were included in the study after obtaining written informed consent from the patients. All cases of DSEK were performed by a single experienced surgeon. In all cases, donor dissection was performed manually. A Sheet’s glide was inserted through the temporal corneal incision and donor button was placed on the Sheet’s glide with the endothelial side down. The lenticule was separated and inserted into the anterior chamber by pushing the lenticule into the anterior chamber using Sinskey’s hook. Any complication, either intraoperative or postoperative, was recorded and managed either medically or by appropriate surgical means. Results: The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before surgery was CF?1 m, which improved to 6/18 after surgery. Intraoperative donor graft perforation during dissection was seen in 12 cases, thin lenticule in three eyes, and repeated artificial Anterior Chamber (AC) collapse in three eyes. Dislocation of lenticule was the most common complication seen in 21 eyes, which was managed by graft repositioning and rebubbling. Eleven cases had minimal separation of the graft and seven cases had interface haze. Pupillary block glaucoma was seen in two cases that resolved with partial release of bubble. Surface infiltrate was seen in two cases, which was managed with topical antimicrobial agents. Primary graft failure was seen in two cases. Conclusion: DSEK is a promising alternative to penetrating keratoplasty for corneal endothelial decompensation, but it also has its own merits and limitations, and most often, merits overweigh limitations.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To analyze the complications in patients managed with deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) for diseases of the anterior corneal stroma. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of all the patients who underwent DALK in a tertiary care center in South India from 2010 to 2020. A total of 474 eyes in 373 patients were included in the study. Patients who underwent DALK for advanced keratoconus, keratoconus with Bowman’s membrane scar, healed hydrops, macular corneal opacity, macular corneal dystrophy, granular corneal dystrophy, spheroidal degeneration, pellucid marginal degeneration, post– laser?assisted in situ keratomileusis ectasia, descematocele, post?collagen cross?linking aborted melt and dense scar, and post?radial keratotomy were included in the study. The patients were followed up for 17.2 +/? 9.2 months (1–9 years). Results: Complications noted in the surgery were intra?operatively Descemet’s membrane perforation in 31 eyes (6.54%), post?operatively secondary glaucoma in 16 eyes (3.37%), cataract in seven eyes (1.47%), suture?related complications in five eyes (1.05%), graft rejection in three eyes (0.63%), traumatic dehiscence in two eyes (0.42%), filamentary keratitis in two eyes (0.42%), interface infiltrate in one eye (0.21%), and recurrence of disease in four eyes (7.14%) out of 57 eyes with corneal dystrophy. Conclusion: DALK as an alternative to penetrating keratoplasty for anterior corneal stromal diseases. It has become an automatic choice for diseases of the anterior cornea requiring keratoplasty. Complications can occur at any stage of surgery; however, if identified and managed early, they can result in optimal outcome
ABSTRACT
A 32‑year‑old female patient underwent deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) in both eyes for advanced keratoconus. She developed an infiltrate in the nasal paracentral interface of the left eye. In view of the paracentral location, localized epithelial removal/stromal scraping was done and the infiltrate was removed using forceps and sent for microbiological assay, which revealed fungal filaments. The patient successfully responded to intensive topical antifungal therapy with the maintenance of visual acuity. Interface keratitis following DALK frequently needs graft lift/interface wash due to deep location, rapid spread and poor penetration and efficacy of topical medications. In view of a paracentral location, modified debulking with topical therapy resulted in a satisfactory outcome in our case thereby avoiding the need for more invasive treatments.