Posters

Clinical outcomes after implanting donor tissue torn during graft preparation in Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty: a prospective study

Poster Details

First Author: C. Panthier FRANCE

Co Author(s):    R. Courtin   D. Gatinel   A. Saad              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the incidence and clinical impact of implanting donor tissue torn during manual preparation for the Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) procedure.

Setting:

Single center prospective study Rothschild Foundation, France

Methods:

175 DMEK procedures from a single surgeon were included. with11 cases of torn donor tissue noted within the group. We compared data from control cases with intact grafts. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), specular microscopy of the donor tissue with endothelial cell density (ECD) and central corneal thickness of the recipient were recorded pre-operatively and again 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery.

Results:

In the torn graft group mean central corneal thickness (CCT) decreased from 667.1 ±82.7µm preoperatively to 569.3±14.2µm at 1 month, 533.6µm ±59.3µm at 3 months, and 528µm ±55.9µm at 6 months. CCT was higher in the torn graft group at one month after surgery compared to the controls (P=0.04) but not afterwards. BCVA in the torn graft showed no significant differences when compared to controls. The ECD loss at six months was 36.6% in the torn graft group and 31.8% in the control group respectively with no significant difference (P>0.05) found. The ECD loss between the preoperative and 1 month postoperative values was significantly higher in the torn graft group (P= 0.04).

Conclusions:

The presence of a tear during the graft preparation does not impact the final long-term clinical outcome or post-operative visual acuity but the recovery time does seem to be slower

Financial Disclosure:

NONE