Preliminary clinical study of sutureless, small-incision deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty surgery

Abstract

To investigate the surgical procedure, clinical efficacy, and the prevention and management of complications of sutureless, small-incision deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty (DLEK). Nine patients (nine eyes) with bullous keratopathy underwent sutureless, small-incision DLEK surgery, six of them was combined with anterior vitrectomy. Visual acuity, graft clearance, corneal curvature, astigmatism and endothelial cell density (ECD) were observed over a 3 - 5 month follow-up period. All grafts remained transparent, and six eyes had improved visual acuity. After the surgery, mean corneal curvature was (43.96 +/- 3.38) D. Mean corneal astigmatism was (3.32 +/- 1.20) diopter (D). Mean ECD was (2124 +/- 278) cells/mm(2). No severe complications occurred. Sutureless, small-incision DLEK, as compared with penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) and microkeratome-associated deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty, has more advantages and is expected to be the initial surgical treatment for bullous keratopathy.