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Endothelial keratoplasty becoming more popular in the US
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ROME — In the last 5 years, 40% of all corneal transplants done in the United States have been endothelial keratoplasty, according to recent data.
"The reason is that endothelial keratoplasty gives fantastic results. It is refractive neutral, leads to rapid visual recovery, does not weaken the eye and can be performed, as I do, under topical anesthesia," Francis W. Price Jr., MD, said at the annual joint meeting of Ocular Surgery News and the Italian Society of Ophthalmology.
At 5 years, graft survival rate with this technique is high. With full-thickness grafts, 20% of graft failures are due to ocular surface disease from nerve severing, Dr. Price explained. This can be avoided with endothelial transplantation because the nerves are left intact.
Dr. Price has the largest case series of endothelial keratoplasty procedures worldwide, with a total of approximately 1,700 cases. Recently, he has switched from Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty to Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty and Descemet's membrane automated endothelial keratoplasty.
"With these thin grafts, visual results are definitely superior. We preferably use the DMAEK technique, where we leave a thin rim of stroma around the outer part of the graft for easier handling and more controlled unfolding," Dr. Price said.
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