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A New Concept for Corneal Transplantation Surgery

Rasik B. Vajpayee, MS, FRCS(Edin), FRANZCO; Namrata Sharma, MD; Vishal Jhanji, MD; Jeewan S. Titiyal, MD; Radhika Tandon, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2007;125(4):552-554.

Objective  To describe the use of a single donor corneal tissue in 3 patients with corneal pathologic conditions.

Methods  A donor corneal tissue was divided into 3 parts using a microkeratome and a trephine. The anterior lamellar disc was transplanted into a patient with macular corneal dystrophy using the automated lamellar therapeutic keratoplasty technique. The posterior lamellar disc was transplanted into a patient with pseudophakic bullous keratopathy using the Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty technique. The peripheral corneoscleral rim was used for limbal stem cell transplantation in a child with limbal stem cell deficiency.

Results  All surgical procedures were performed successfully. At 3 months, the best-corrected visual acuities achieved following automated lamellar therapeutic keratoplasty, Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty, and limbal stem cell transplantation were 20/60, 20/40, and 20/200, respectively.

Conclusion  The advent of customized component corneal transplantation techniques may allow the use of 1 donor cornea to treat multiple patients.

Author Affiliations: Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Dr Vajpayee is now with the Department of Ophthalmology, Head, Corneal and Cataract Surgery, Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne; East Melbourne.