ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To report clinical results of non-Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (nDSAEK) to treat graft failure after penetrating keratoplasty. METHODS: It was a retrospective case series study. Five cases of grafts failure after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) were enrolled in this study. All patients had a cloudy and swollen grafts, which thicker than 620 µm, and had foreign body sensation, vision decrease. Of this 5 cases, 4 of them are pseudophakic eye, 1 is aphakic eye. One patient had previous vitrectomy, and 3 of them had one time history of PKP, 2 of them had twice PKP treatment. All cases were treated by nDSAEK, the nDSAEK grafts were prepared as a 200 µm thickness and 8.00 to 8.75 mm in diameter by using hand or femtosecond laser assisted methods. The graft was inserted by forceps or suture pulling method through a 5.00 mm scleral tunel incision. RESULTS: One graft dislocated at 1day postoperation, and was reattached by rebuble. All grafts keep clear during 8 - 28 months follow up period, and no immune rejection episodes were noted. The endothelial density were 865 to 2410/mm(2). Postoperative best corrected vision (pBCVA) are better or equal to previous BCVA after pkp. CONCLUSION: nDSAEK appears a good alternative surgical method for patients of grafts failure after pkp, especially for high risk patients of immune rejection.