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DSAEK grafts successfully preloaded into injectors and transported to surgical centers
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Eye banks have shown the ability to prepare and preload corneal tissues into endothelium injector cartridges and to transport them to surgical centers for transplantation, according to a study here.
"These initial findings look very promising for the future of corneal transplants," David C. Gritz, MD, MPH, said in a press release at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting. "Allowing eye banks to handle the tissue preparation and injector preloading may allow for increased precision and reproducibility that would result in decreased surgical time and better patient outcomes."
In the study, eight corneal buttons were prepared at the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research, Tampa, Fla., for Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty with an automated microkeratome and 8.5-mm trephines. Then, the tissues were loaded into Tan EndoGlide endothelium injector cartridges (Angiotech) and shipped overnight. For the control group, two precut corneas were transported without injector loading. The control group was trephined and immediately loaded into injector cartridges on site.
The endothelium of the grafts were stained, whole graft images were analyzed, and the percentage of endothelial damage was measured.
The findings showed that the preloaded corneal buttons demonstrated an average of 9.07% damage to endothelial cells, while the control group had an average of 36.2% damage, which was statistically significant (P = .004).
- Disclosure: Dr. Gritz has no relevant financial disclosures.