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New sterile corneal allograft available for array of ophthalmic surgeries
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BALTIMORE — A new irradiated, sterile cornea designed for use in tectonic transplant procedures may offer improved safety and reduction in disease risk compared with other allografts.
According to a press release from Tissue Banks International announcing the availability of the VisionGraft Sterile Cornea, the sterile allograft is the first of its kind available in the United States and it is shelf-stable for at least 1 year, "making it ideal to have in stock for use in trauma/emergency procedures as well as for scheduled surgeries."
The graft has already been studied as a patch placed over glaucoma tube shunts, as a patch graft in other ophthalmic surgeries, and in anterior lamellar and deep anterior lamellar procedures. However, the allograft is not intended for use in penetrating keratoplasty or endothelial replacement transplants.
According to the release, the sterile cornea is available as a whole graft or pre-cut according to surgeon specifications.
"The feedback from surgeons who have used the Sterile Cornea has been extremely positive," David Pennington, TBI vice president for ocular operations, said in the release. "We've found they really value the additional safety, and patient outcomes including re-epithelialization have been noteworthy."