Trypan Blue and Endoillumination-Assisted Phacoemulsification in a Patient With Advanced Keratoglobus

Cureus. 2024 Mar 16;16(3):e56265. doi: 10.7759/cureus.56265. eCollection 2024 Mar.

Abstract

Keratoglobus is a rare subset of noninflammatory corneal ectasia, which is a group of disorders characterized by corneal thinning, projection, and scarring. Patients with keratoglobus commonly present with poor vision. A case of advanced keratoglobus was managed by a modified phacoemulsification surgical technique using endoillumination and capsular staining with trypan blue. In this case, we present a 54-year-old man with keratoglobus. In January 2023, a modified phacoemulsification surgical technique using endoillumination was described with a video in a patient with bilateral corneal opacification, neovascularization, significant peripheral thinning, and moderate to severe corneal opacity in which cataract surgery had to be performed alone without considering penetrating keratoplasty. Postoperatively, the patient was doing well with no leaks. We may conclude that this method allows for better visualization during surgery and decreases the risk of intraoperative complications due to poor visualization in patients with severe corneal opacity.

Keywords: cataract; endoillumination-assisted phacoemulsification; keratoglobus; surgical techniques; trypan blue.

Publication types

  • Case Reports