Posters

Contralateral autologous corneal transplantation experience in Mexico

Poster Details

First Author: A.Perez-Balbuena MEXICO

Co Author(s):    D. Ancona                    

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To report on outcomes after contralateral autologous Penetrating Keratoplasty.(APK) and to propose it as a secure, viable alternative to conventional allograft transplantation for the management of corneal blindness in patients with a healthy cornea in the fellow blind eye.

Setting:

Despite newer procedures, graft rejection continues to pose a significant risk to the long-term survival of the corneal graft. Autokeratoplasty is a powerful alternative in high-risk grafts, because it negates the risk of graft rejection and minimizes the requirement of postoperative steroids.

Methods:

We describe a series of 10 cases of corneal blindness in which the transparent cornea from a blind eye was transplanted onto the fellow eye with a favorable visual potential but an opaque cornea. These cases were treated with autokeratoplasty in our hospital “Association Para Evitar La Ceguera in México. Dr. Luis Sánchez Bulnes”.

Results:

The median age of the patients was 62.3 years (range 41-81 years) Intraoperative complications encountered included expulsive hemorrhage in one patient. Spectacle-corrected vision improved in all cases postoperatively. Intraoperative complications included posterior capsule opacification. All patients maintained a clear graft until the last follow-up (6-48 months). Overall cost of this procedure was less in comparison to conventional allograft transplantation.

Conclusions:

Penetrating Autokeratoplasty is a plausible alternative for patients without access to donor corneal tissue and that are not eligible or cannot undergo conventional allograft transplantation. This procedure should be reserved only for carefully selected patients. It must be performed judiciously in the case of one eye possessing a clear cornea with a loss of vision secondary to posterior segment affection while the contralateral eye has a favorable visual potential limited only by an opaque cornea. The use of autologous tissue avoids the risk of rejection after penetrating keratoplasty,

Financial Disclosure:

NONE