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Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess the outcomes of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty or penetrating keratoplasty at the scar and the edema stages.
METHODS: Forty-five patients (45 eyes) with keratoconus scar stage (scar group, n=26; penetrating keratoplasty a subgroup, n=7; deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty b subgroup, n=19) and keratoconus edema stage (edema group, n=19; penetrating keratoplasty c subgroup, n=12; deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty d group, n=7) who received penetrating keratoplasty or deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty from 2000 to 2022 were retrospectively studied. At 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery, the best-corrected visual acuity, astigmatism, spherical equivalent, corneal endothelial cell density, and complications were analyzed.
RESULTS: The best-corrected visual acuity and average corneal endothelial cell loss rate were not significantly different between the scar and edema groups (p>0.05). At 6 and 12 months after surgery, the astigmatism and spherical equivalent in the scar group were significantly lower than those in the edema group (p<0.05). The spherical equivalent of the deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty b subgroup was lower than that of the penetrating keratoplasty a subgroup in the scar group 6 months after surgery (p<0.05). In the edema group, there was no significant difference in spherical equivalent between subgroups (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in best-corrected visual acuity and astigmatism between subgroups within the two groups (p>0.05). In comparison to the scar group, the edema group experienced more complications. According to a survival analysis, there was no statistically significant difference between the scar group and the edema group regarding the progression of vision.
CONCLUSIONS: In terms of the outcomes and prognosis for vision after keratoplasty with edema stage and scar stage, deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty may be as effective as penetrating keratoplasty.

Keywords: keratoconus; Edema; Cicatrix; keratoplasty, penetrating; Corneal transplantation; Astigmatism; Corneal endothelial cell loss; Endothelial cells

Abstract

PURPOSE: Wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging combined with transplantation is a novel option that combined amniotic membrane plugging with amniotic membrane transplantation for the treatment of small corneal perforations. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging in the treatment of small corneal perforations and compared it with that of the penetrating keratoplasty procedure.
METHODS: Forty patients (41 eyes) with small corneal perforations <3 mm in diameter treated at our hospital between July 2018 and January 2021 were retrospectively included. Among them, 21 eyes were treated with wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging (wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging group), and 20 eyes were treated with penetrating keratoplasty procedure (penetrating keratoplasty procedure group). The best-corrected visual acuity, anterior chamber formation, corneal thickness, primary disease control, postoperative complications, and graft survival rate were assessed.
RESULTS: No significant difference in baseline characteristics was found between the wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging and penetrating keratoplasty procedure groups (p>0.05). The postoperative control rates of primary diseases in the wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging and penetrating keratoplasty procedure groups were 95.2% and 90.0%, respectively (p=0.481). Visual acuity was improved 6 months after the operation in the wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging group and was improved at postoperative 1 month in the penetrating keratoplasty procedure group. The formation time of the anterior chamber in the wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging group was significantly shorter than that in the penetrating keratoplasty procedure group (p=0.023). The corneal thickness of the two groups significantly increased 12 months after the operation; however, the degree of thickening in the penetrating keratoplasty procedure group was higher than that in the wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging group (p<0.001). During the follow-up, postoperative complications were not different between the two groups (p>0.999).
CONCLUSION: The results suggest that wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging is effective and safe in the treatment of small corneal perforations. Thus, it can be used as an emergency treatment alternative to penetrating keratoplasty procedure for small corneal perforations.

Keywords: Amnion; Transplantation; Amniotic membrane; Keratoplasty, penetrating; Corneal perforation; Wet bio-amniotic membrane plugging; Wet bio-amniotic membrane transplantation