[Macular corneal dystrophy including histologic and ultrastructural changes]. / Dystrofia plamkowata rogówki z uwzglednieniem zmian histopatologicznych i ultrastrukturalnych.

PURPOSE: The study reports the results of a histological and ultrastructural examination of the corneal button, obtained during penetrating keratoplasty from patient with clinically recognized macular corneal dystrophy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 34-year-old male patient suffering from macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) has been treated on corneal epithelium defect and photophobia since his early childhood. Visual acuity was decreased on the Snellen test chart to 0.02. Slit-lamp examination, and ultrasonographical measurement of the cornea's thickness were performed. Removed during penetrating keratoplasty corneal button was divided into two pieces. One of them was prepared in standard procedure for histological examination in the light microscopy after having been stained with hematoxylin and eosin, alcian blue and paS-method. From the other part, slides for ultrastructural examination in the transmission electron microscopy were prepared with the use of standard method. The family history from the patient was also taken, and available relatives have undergone examination in search of typical MCD symptoms. RESULTS: Slit-lamp examination findings revealed diffuse, from limbus to limbus, stromal opacification. In measurement by pachymeter cornea's thickness was reduced. In the light microscopy, in typical stained slides, delaminations within stroma and deficit of endothelial cells were observed. After being stained with alcian blue, dark blue deposits in the places of delamination became visible. By transmission electron microscopic examination, intracellular and extracellular deposits were detected in the stroma, Descemet membrane and endothelium. Distended keratocytes with enormous vacuoles containing abnormal material were found. Pedigree was typical for autosomal recessive inherited disease. CONCLUSIONS: Histological and ultrastructural diagnosis is a basis of recognition of macular corneal dystrophy. Analysis of the pedigree as well as ultrasonographical measurement of the cornea's thickness is very helpful to establish the right diagnosis.

[Limbal stem cell transplantation from HLA-compatible living donors. Long term observation]. / Przeszczepy rabkowych komórek macierzystych od zgodnych pod wzgledem HLA dawców rodzinnych. Obserwacja dlugoterminowa.

PURPOSE: The assessment of clinical outcome in patients after Ir-CLAL procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective, interventional case series including 11 patients (12 eyes), all with non-ambulatory visual acuity (from light perception to hand movements). Mean age was 39.4 years (ranging from 18 to 76 years). In 7 eyes Limbal Stem Cells Deficiency (LSCD) resulted from chemical burn, in 2 eyes from ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, in one eye from Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). In one eye congenital LSCD was diagnosed and in another one post-inflammatory LSCD. Mean follow-up was 16.2 months (from 10 to 32). Among donors prospective class I HLA matching was performed. Maximal two mismatches were accepted. General immunosuppressive therapy was switched-on in all subjects. Surgical excision of corneal pannus with clearing of limbal area was performed. Five clock hours stem cells tissue grafts from living related donors were harvested and transplanted to the recipient eye. Three penetrating keratoplasty, one deep lamellar keratoplasty and seven amniotic membrane transplantations were additionally performed. Main outcome measures were graft survival as a restoration of corneal epithelium, visual acuity improvement and complication in donors and recipients. Kaplan-Meyer survival curve and generalized Peto test were used for comparison. RESULTS: The graft survival was 83.6% in mean 20.3 months follow-up (from 10 to 32 months). Two cases of graft failure concern eye with SJS and eye with PKP regrafting after chemical burn. Visual improvement in 7 cases (58.3%), the same visual acuity in 4 cases (33.3%) and deterioration one case (8.3%) were noted. Ambulatory vision in 50% of patients was achieved. Graft rejection syndrome in four eyes was noticed also when ideal matching and CsA serum level 220 ng/ml. Two cases were treated with success and another two grafts failed. No complications in donors eyes were noticed. Impression cytology in eyes with successful grafts not related to pathological changes. CONCLUSIONS: Lr-CLAL are effective in ocular surface restoration. Living-related donors are suitable source of stem cells for cultivation in vitro. The prognosis for stem cells grafting is definitely worse when eyelid anomaly and adhesions exist.

[Applying deep lamellar keratoplasty in corneal disorders without endothelial abnormalities]. / Zastosowanie glebokiej keratoplastyki warstwowej w leczeniu schorzen rogówki bez zmian w sródblonku.

PURPOSE: To present own experiences in the surgery of deep lamellar keratoplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 eye of 25 patients suffering from various corneal pathologies with preserved endothelium: 22 with keratoconus eyes, 2 with post-inflammatory scar and one eye with leucoma in Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Mean follow-up was 25.5 months (from 6 to 32). Main outcome measures were Non-Corrected and Best Corrected Visual Acuity (NCVA, BCVA), astigmatism, refractive error, IOP and corneal transparency. The surgery was performed in general anesthesia. In majority of cases the recipient stroma was trephined to a depth of 70% with 7.5 mm diameter vacuum trephine. In cases of intraoperative perforation of Descemet membrane with shallow anterior chamber we converted the procedure into penetrating keratoplasty. The donor lenticule was trephined in the artificial chamber with the 0.5 mm oversized manual trephine to a depth of 90%. In two cases after DLK was finished, limbal stem cell grafting was additionally performed. RESULTS: Postoperative NCVA ranged from 0.01 to 0.8 and BCVA from 0.1 to 0.8. Astigmatism ranged from 0.5 to 10.0 D. Refractive error ranged from -8.0 to +1.0 D. In follow-up period all grafts maintained transparent. The complications were mainly intraoperative perforations of Descemet membrane (9 cases): in 7 cases we convert the procedure into penetrating keratoplasty. In 2 cases the double chamber-forming was observed: in one case on 7 day following surgery the penetrating keratoplasty was performed, in other a spontaneous attachment was observed. We also observed loose sutures in 2 cases, inflammatory infiltrates in one case. Two cases of ocular hypertension was successfully treated by medication. CONCLUSIONS: Deep lamellar keratoplasty is an effective procedure for treating various diseases of corneal stroma with unaffected endothelium.