Four Cases of Split Cornea Transplantation from a Single Cornea

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report four cases of split cornea transplantation involving separate Descemet membrane keratoplasty and Deep anterior lamella keratoplasty from a single cornea. CASE SUMMARY: Four donor corneas were separated into the endothelium and other layers. The endothelial layers were transplanted into 4 pseudophakic bullous keratopathy patients, and the other layers were stored in corneal storage media. Deep anterior lamella keratoplasties were performed with the stored corneas in 2 lipid keratopathy and 2 keratoconus patients. Postoperatively, all grafted corneas were stable. CONCLUSIONS: The authors report the first 4 cases of split cornea transplantation in Korea, which is experiencing a shortage of donated corneas. Split cornea transplantation will be of benefit to a large number of patients by separating a single cornea into separate layers to be implanted into two patients.