K. Tsubota et al., A NEW SURGICAL TECHNIQUE FOR DEEP LAMELLAR KERATOPLASTY WITH SINGLE RUNNING SUTURE ADJUSTMENT, American journal of ophthalmology, 126(1), 1998, pp. 1-8
PURPOSE: To improve the technique of deep lamellar keratoplasty. METHO
DS: For the recipient eye, a divide-and-conquer technique was applied
to deep lamellar keratoplasty, After trephinization, the recipient cor
nea within the trephine was divided into four quadrants to facilitate
lamellar dissection at approximately 70% depth. This procedure of divi
sion was continued until the Descemet membrane was exposed in the cent
ral area. The corneal graft was placed with an adjusted single running
suture. Seventeen eyes were treated with this technique. RESULTS: In
17 eyes of 15 patients, the mean visual acuity 6 months or more after
deep lamellar keratoplasty was 20/52 with eyeglass correction and 20/8
0 without eyeglass correction. At 6 months or more after deep lamellar
keratoplasty, the mean +/- SD keratometric astigmatism in 17 eyes was
3.2 +/- 2.3 diopters. CONCLUSION: This technique facilitates deep lam
ellar keratoplasty and prevents high or excessive astigmatism after su
rgery. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.