Femtosecond and excimer laser-assisted endothelial keratoplasty (FELEK): a new technique of endothelial transplantation.

PURPOSE: To describe a new technique of endothelial keratoplasty (EK) that improves the quality of lamellar dissection of donor cornea. METHODS: We compared four techniques of donor cornea preparation for lamellar dissection on 8 donor corneas: mechanical dissection with a microkeratome, a single femtosecond laser lamellar cut, a double femtosecond laser lamellar cut and combined femtosecond laser lamellar dissection with excimer laser surface photoablation. The quality of the donor cornea interface was assessed and compared using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the most satisfactory technique was employed for EK on three patients. The postoperative anatomic results were analyzed with anterior segment spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). RESULTS: The smoothest stromal interface was observed on SEM with the combined use of femtosecond laser dissection and excimer photoablation. The surgical procedures performed with donor cornea prepared by a combination of femtosecond and excimer lasers resulted in clear corneas after 1 month. SD-OCT showed good attachment of the endothelial graft and a hyperreflective interface. On IVCM, subepithelial haze, honeycomb-like activated keratocytes and needle-shaped particles were visible in the recipient corneal stroma as well as numerous hyperreflective particles on the donor-recipient interface. CONCLUSION: A new technique, femtosecond and excimer laser-assisted endothelial keratoplasty (FELEK), which refines the current limitations observed in Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), is described. Femtosecond laser dissection provides a thin and reproducible endothelial graft cut with a high level of safety and accuracy, while excimer photoablation yields a smooth, high-quality interface.

[Orbital cysticercosis mimicking a painful third nerve palsy]. / Cysticercose oculaire mimant une paralysie douloureuse du III.

We report an atypical case of cysticercosis of the left levator-superior rectus complex, mimicking a painful partial third nerve palsy. The patient presented with painful diplopia, with limitation of elevation, depression and adduction of the left eye, associated with a ptosis of the upper left eyelid. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed two cysts, located within the left levator-superior rectus complex, and nine parenchymal cysts located in both hemispheres of the brain. Antibody titers directed against Cysticercus cellulosae were elevated as confirmed by Elisa and Immunoblot. Diplopia and local inflammation resolved after albendazole and systemic steroid treatment. Surgical resection of the cysts was unnecessary.

[Use of polyglactin 910 mesh with collagen in the prevention of pharyngostomes]. / Utilisation du filet de polyglactine 910 avec collagène dans la prévention des pharyngostomes.

The use of the collagen-coated Polyglactine 910 mesh is proposed as a preventive treatment of pharyngostomes in extensive pharyngolaryngectomies for necrotized hypopharyngeal tumors. The good results obtained in this series of 12 cases may be explained by a distribution of stress in the pharyngeal sutures, associated to a decrease in the stress exerted on the tight mucosal suture, as well as a sliding-rotating effect of the pharyngeal muscular suture, which is thus displaced relative to the plane of the mucosal suture. This original technique seems to be fully effective during the first two postoperative weeks, and may greatly help in the prevention of the dangerous pharyngostomes during the postoperative period following extensive pharyngeal resections.