Posters
Twelve-year clinical outcome of the first patient undergoing bilateral true endothelial cell transplantation (Tencell), a preliminary form of Descemet��s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK)
Poster Details
First Author: F.Sabatino UK
Co Author(s): M. Tappin
Abstract Details
Purpose:
To report the twelve-year clinical outcomes following bilateral true endothelial cell transplantation (Tencell), a preliminary form of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).
Setting:
Ashford & St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Ashford, United Kingdom
Methods:
Case report. In 2005, a 68-year-old man with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy underwent Tencell in both eyes. An 8 millimeter descemetorhexis was fashioned with a 27-gauge bent needle without the aid of any viscoelastic ophthalmic device or anterior chamber maintainer. Endothelium and Descemet��s membrane were peeled from a 7.5-mm trephined sclerocorneal donor button and were inserted into the recipient��s anterior chamber through an 8-mm two-stepped corneal incision with the aid of the Tappin��s endothelial cannula. Twelve-year best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), endothelial cell count (ECC) and central corneal pachymetry (CCT) are reported.
Results:
Tencell transplant was clear in both eyes after twelve-years. In March 2017, BSCVA was 6/9 in right eye and 6/9 in left eye. CCT was 594 and 622 micrometers in right and left eye respectively. ECC was 1012 and 591 cells/mm2 in right eye and left eye respectively.
Conclusions:
Tencell transplantation represents a preliminary, successful attempt to selectively replace diseased endothelium and Descemet��s membrane. It is technically challenging and intraoperative and postoperative complications represented the main limits for the wide-spread diffusion of this innovative technique. However, the long-term clinical outcomes hereby reported offer an historical interesting perspective of long-term survival of a DMEK variant.
Financial Disclosure:
NONE
