[Deep anterior lamellar (DALK) vs. penetrating keratoplasty (PKP): a clinical and statistical analysis]. / Tiefe lamelläre Keratoplastik vs. perforierende Keratoplastik: Klinische und statistische Analyse.

PURPOSE: Results of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) have been analysed regarding the BCVA, cylinder values, endothelial cell counts and complications both clinically and statistically. An answer to the question is sought as to whether DALK is an equal or better alternative to penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) given all indications with intact corneal endothelium. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A consecutive series on 166 eyes is compared to a group of 566 consecutive PKP eyes regarding visual acuity, astigmatism, stability of refraction and endothelial cell count. The operations were performed in one centre by the same surgeon with the same trephine (Guided Trephine System, GTS) and special instrumentation for DALK (Geuder, Heidelberg). All transplants were of a diameter of 8 mm, the fixation was done with the double-running antitorque suture with one exception. All cases of DALK and PKP were analysed first as two overall groups, then subgroups were broken down for keratoconus and endothelial cell counts (ECC). The subgroups comprised 135 DALK and 76 PKP eyes. RESULTS: BCVA was identical over the whole follow-up of 5 years for the overall groups of DALK and PKP. Statistically significant differences could only be found for the first 3 months favouring DALK (Median 0.5 to 0.35, p = 0.001), whereas for both groups BCVA was without statistically significant differences from month 6 through to 5 years. In the subgroups DALK versus PKP in keratoconus none of the medians from the 1st month to the 5th year were statically significantly different. Between the 1st and 2nd year a maximal BCVA of median 0.7 was reached. The analysis of the endothelial cell count shows both for the comparison of the overall groups and the subgroups keratoconus highly significant differences favouring DALK for all time intervals. CONCLUSION: Since stable ECC suggest an unlimited lifetime of DALK and there is no clinical difference in the outcomes of BCVA or cylinders it must be concluded that with the data presented the DALK operation should be preferred over PKP in eyes that preoperatively have normal endothelial cell counts.

Live-epikeratophakia for keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical feasibility of refractive live-epikeratophakia (L-EPI) for early keratoconus to cap, rather than reverse, the ectatic cornea. SETTING: Eye Department, Martin-Luther-Hospital, Bochum, Germany. METHODS: Twenty-seven consecutive cases with keratoconus stage I-II had L-EPI. Lenticules were obtained from eye-bank eyes. The lenticules were cut on the artificial anterior chamber bench of the Barraquer-Krumeich-Swinger set. Optical power was generated over refractive dies to achieve postoperative emmetropia. The lenticule was sutured into a peripherally undermined 7.0 mm trephination with a double-running torque suture. RESULTS: Re-epithelialization was complete within 4 to 6 days. In all but three cases that had corneal ulcers and experienced partial melting of tissue following severe neurodermatitis, all lenticules remained stable during the 10 year follow-up. The 1 month spherical equivalent remained almost stable over the entire follow-up. There was no sign of progression of keratoconus as induced myopia or astigmatism indicated by keratometry readings. Mean best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) was 0.45 (n = 27) preoperatively and 0.19 (n = 25) at 1 week, 0.39 (n = 26) at 1 month, 0.53 (n = 20) at 6 months, 0.58 (n = 13) at 1 year, and 0.64 (n = 8) at 2 years. Preoperative BCVA was achieved or improved in 13 eyes at 1 month. Postoperative astigmatism was < or = 3.25 diopters. Neither rejection nor lenticule opacification was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Live-epikeratophakia is a safe and minimally invasive extraocular procedure suitable for keratoconus stage I-II. Progression of keratoconus may be arrested. If unsuccessful, the procedure is complementable and there is no interference with a later penetrating keratoplasty.

Improved technique of circular keratotomy for the correction of corneal astigmatism.

BACKGROUND: Based on Gauss' law governing the comparison of hyperbaric pressure in the eye and atmospheric pressure, the authors present a procedure to correct astigmatism. The present paper describes an improvement of a technique for circular keratotomy that was published previously. METHODS: We present data on a consecutive series of 32 eyes with a mean corneal astigmatism of 4.66 diopters (D) (range -2.25 to -6.00 D) with a variety of clinical diagnoses. The astigmatic cornea was trephined with a diameter of 7 mm and a depth of 300 microns. After deepening of the trephination with a diamond knife to 550 microns over the steeper semimeridians, the intraocular pressure created a rounding of the cornea. The amount of astigmatic correction and extent of deepening were controlled intraoperatively with a keratoscope. No sutures were placed. RESULTS: In 32 consecutive eyes, corrections were between 50 and 90% of the initial cylindrical values after 1 week to 1 month. In 29 eyes (91%), the results obtained remained stable during a 1-year follow-up; in two eyes (6%), the 1-month results worsened by more than 1.00 D and in one eye (3%), results improved by more than 1.00 D. There were no complications during or after surgery. Wound gaping resulting in epithelial plugs did not occur. No patient lost one or more lines of spectacle-corrected visual acuity, but 13 eyes (40%) gained one or more lines. CONCLUSION: The technique of correcting corneal astigmatism by trephining to a depth of 300 microns, with deepening of the wound to 550 microns along the steep meridian and using no sutures can correct up to 10.00 D of astigmatism with reasonable stability.

The theoretical effect of trephine tilt on postkeratoplasty astigmatism.

Most corneal surgeons use a free-hand technique to perform trephination. Of the factors thought to be associated with postkeratoplasty astigmatism, surgeons agree that the process of trephination has the greatest effect on astigmatism. We describe the use of a new trephine that, while affixed to the donor and/or recipient by suction, applanates the cornea to eliminate the oblique incision and undercutting that occur with currently available suction trephines. By mathematical analysis we demonstrate that a 5 degrees to 10 degrees tilt of the trephine can induce significant astigmatism. In theory, the use of the guided trephine system described here will eliminate this complication. This new instrument should be capable of producing identical incisions in the donor and recipient, thereby allowing easier wound coaptation with sutures. This new technology has the potential to eliminate trephination errors as a major cause of postkeratoplasty astigmatism.