A NEW SURGICAL TECHNIQUE FOR DEEP LAMELLAR KERATOPLASTY WITH SINGLE RUNNING SUTURE ADJUSTMENT

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.