Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty and Descemet Stripping Only Using a 3D Visualization System.

(1) Purpose: The aim was to analyze the outcomes of Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) and Descemet stripping only (DSO) surgeries using a glasses-assisted NGENUITY® 3D visualization system (Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, TX, USA). (2)

Methods

Five consecutive cases of DMEK surgery and four consecutive cases of DSO were performed using the NGENUITY® system in this prospective study carried out at the Arruzafa Hospital, Córdoba, Spain. Only one eye from each patient received surgery. Best corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) using EDTRS charts, central corneal thickness using the Casia II optical coherence tomograph (Tomey Co., Nagoya, Japan), and endothelial cell count using the Tomey EM-4000 (Tomey Co., Nagoya, Japan) for DMEK cases or the Nidek CEM-530 (Nidek Co., Ltd., Gamagori, Japan) specular microscopes for DSO cases were recorded preoperatively and at 1 and 3 months postsurgery. (3)

Results

DMEK cases included one male and four female subjects, with a mean age of 73.6 ± 9.5 years. Average improvement in CDVA 3 months after surgery was 0.46 ± 0.16 decimal. Average change in cell count between 1 and 3 months postsurgery was 360.75 ± 289.38 cells/mm2. DSO cases included four female subjects, with a mean age of 64.2 ± 9.7 years. The average improvement in CDVA 3 months after surgery was 0.09 ± 0.17 decimal. All cases also had phacoemulsification carried out. He average change in cell count between 1 and 3 months after surgery was 460 ± 515.69 cells/mm2. There were no associated complications during surgery or the follow-up period in any of the cases. (4)

Conclusions

In addition to the known benefits of the use of a 3D visualization system during surgery, the present study shows that the system can be successfully used in both DMEK and DSO procedures with a very short learning curve for the surgeon.