Aim: To evaluate the outcomes and safety of lamellar keratoplasty (LK) assisted by fibrin glue in corneal perforations.
Methods: Six eyes of 6 patients affected by different corneal pathologies (2 posttraumatic corneal scar and 3 bacterial keratitis) underwent LK procedures by using fibrin glue. The mean corneal perforation diameter was 1.35±0.64mm (range, 0.7-2.5mm), and the greatest diameter of the ulcerative stromal defect was 2.47±0.77mm in average (range, 1.5-3.5mm). The donor corneal lamella diameters were 0.20-mm larger and thicker than the recipient to restore a physiologic corneal thickness and shape: mean donor diameter was 8.34±0.28mm (range, 8.2-8.7mm) and mean thickness was 352±40.27mm (range, 220-400mm). Mean follow-up was 7.33±1.97 months (range, 6-11 months). Postoperatively, the graft status, graft clarity, anterior chamber response, the visual prognosis, intraocular pressures, and postoperative complications were recorded.
Results: All the corneal perforations were successfully healed after the procedure. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ranged from 20/1 000 to 20/50 in their initial presentation, and from 20/100 to 20/20 in their last visit, showed increase in all the patients. No major complications such as graft dislocation and graft failure were noted. Neovascularization developed in the superficial stroma of donor graft in 1 case. High intraocular pressure developed on day 2 after surgery, while was remained in normal range after application of anti-glaucomatous eyedrops for 1 week in 1 case.
Conclusion: Fibrin glue-assisted sutureless LK is valuable for maintaining the ocular integrity in the treatment of corneal perforations.
Keywords: fibrin glue corneal perforation; lamellar keratoplasty.