Recipient corneal bed thickness in deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty: does it have a significant role?

Session Details

Session Title: Presented Poster Session: Cornea: Surgical

Venue: Poster Village: Pod 3

First Author: : R.Barrera COLOMBIA

Co Author(s): :    E. Otero                       

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the association between the recipient corneal bed thickness (RCBT) and the visual and refractive outcomes after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) in eyes with corneal scarring and keratoconus.

Setting:

Barraquer Clinic, Bogotá, Colombia

Methods:

In this retrospective case series, eighteen unselected consecutive patients (18 eyes) with moderate to advanced keratoconus and central corneal scarring who were contact lens intolerant and whose best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was less than 20/80 underwent DALK using the Anwar, Melles, pachymetry assisted laser keratoplasty (PALK), and femtosecond laser-assisted (FLAK) techniques. Total and residual stromal thickness were measured 30 days after DALK using optical coherence tomography. The visual acuity (presented in logMAR), refractive status, intraoperative and postoperative complications were evaluated.

Results:

The average age was 27.94±15.99 years. Two procedures were performed with PALK, ten with Anwar, two with Melles and another two with FLAK technique. The mean RCBT was 67.77±45.23µ and its distribution was significantly different depending on the surgical technique (p=0.0045; Kruskal-Wallis). RCBT did not have a significant association with final BCVA, spherical equivalent (SE) or defocus equivalent (DE) in any case. Mean preoperative BCVA was 0.86±0.33 logMAR, and 0.48±0.29 logMAR one month after suture removal (p=0.0049). There was no significant variation in the mean SE (p=0.26) or in the mean DE (p=0.27) after DALK.

Conclusions:

Although DALK techniques are associated with different RCBT and a significant improve in the BCVA after surgery, the RCBT does not seem to be related to the change in the DE, SE or the BCVA after suture removal.

Financial Disclosure:

None