Seoul-type keratoprosthesis: preliminary results of the first 7 human cases.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a newly designed Seoul-type keratoprosthesis (S-KPro).

METHODS

The S-KPro, which consists of a polymethyl methacrylate optic, a skirt (polyurethane or polypropylene), and polypropylene haptics, was developed and implanted into 2 unsighted and 5 sighted eyes of 7 patients. One patient had a chemical burn, another had an ocular pemphigoid, and the remainder were diagnosed as having Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The preoperative visual acuities ranged from light perception to hand motions. The average follow-up time was 25.6 months.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We evaluated anatomical stability, visual acuity, retinal status, and the visual field.

RESULTS

At the last follow-up visit, the S-KPro was well placed in 6 patients. The best-corrected visual acuities of the sighted patients ranged from 20/100 to 20/60 in the affected eye. One patient each experienced retinal detachment or endophthalmitis. Partial extrusion was found in the patient with glaucoma. A retroprosthetic membrane was detected in 1 patient and was treated with an Nd:YAG laser. No glaucomatous visual field defects were found in any of the sighted patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Anatomical success was achieved in 6 of 7 eyes. In 3 of the 5 sighted eyes, the S-KPro could rehabilitate corneal blindness not correctable with keratoplasty.