Transplantation of endothelium and descemet membrane for aphakic corneal edema in 1980.

PURPOSE: To describe a corneal endothelial layer and Descemet membrane transplantation into the anterior chamber for the treatment of bullous keratopathy in 1980.

METHODS

A retrospective report of an intervention case study is presented. A patient with aphakic bullous keratopathy in one eye was interested in undergoing a previously untested corneal transplantation procedure. Snellen visual acuity testing and slit-lamp examination were performed. The main outcome measures were visual acuity and degree of corneal clarity.

RESULTS

Visual acuity and corneal clarity improved in the months following the endothelial/Descemet membrane transplant but gradually returned to preoperative levels 1 year later. A subsequent successful penetrating keratoplasty resulted in excellent visual acuity (-20/25).

CONCLUSIONS

An attempt to perform endothelial and Descemet membrane transplantation for aphakic corneal edema in 1980 resulted in early improvement in corneal clarity and visual acuity but required full penetrating keratoplasty at 2 years postoperatively. [J Refract Surg. 2010;26(7):525-528.] doi:10.3928/1081597X-20090910-01