Posters

Gain of vision in relation to the evolution of the DMEK learning curve

Poster Details

First Author: C.Maria Carossa Veiga Jardim BRAZIL

Co Author(s):    N. Bahjat Hajj   C. Alberto Pinto   B. Nazareth Parize Clemente   A. Chater Taleb           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Evaluation of the Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) learning curve of a single surgeon, focusing on gain of vision and complication rate in a small service in the interior of the state of Goias, Brazil.

Setting:

Hospital de Olhos Aparecida (HOA) at Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.

Methods:

A retrospective study describing the evolution of 10 endothelial keratoplasties between April 2016 and February 2018, with the technique "no touch" Follow-up occurred on the 1st, 30th postoperative days, 3rd month. Considering the visual acuity with the best correction using the snellen table, being analyzed the individual evolution of the vision of each patient. Fuchs endothelial dystrophy was the etiology of all cases, being 60% with endothelial decompensation after cataract surgery, and 40% due to idiopathic cause.

Results:

The learning curve is still expanding and patient follow-up is still recent, while 80% of the cases did not require a new graft. Although we had a small number of patients, the last 4 cases required less than 3 months to reach best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA)> 0,7 and 60% of the patients said they were satisfied with the improvement in vision at the 1st postoperative week.

Conclusions:

This case series demonstrates that the DMEK learning curve is slow and gradual, but that we have obtained good results for the first 10 service cases. It was observed that as the surgeon evolved his experience, there is a decrease in the chances of graft detachment, and improvement of visual acuity.

Financial Disclosure:

None