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Corneal lenticules from ReLEx SMILE can be used to treat corneal ulcers
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BELGRADE, Serbia — Corneal lenticules, which are a waste product of ReLEx small incision lenticule extraction, could be used as an alternative method to treat corneal ulcers, according to one speaker.
“The treatment of corneal ulcers is difficult, and in some cases we have to use surgical interventions such as amniotic membrane transplantation or even keratoplasty,” Pavel Studeny, MD, said at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting.
He showed at the meeting three cases in which a ReLEx SMILE corneal lenticule from a donor was transplanted with positive results.
“We used the same protocol of amniotic membrane transplantation. The donor signed an informed consent and was verified with blood tests for the presence of infectious diseases. After the ReLEx SMILE procedure, the lenticule was aseptically stored in a container with cryopreservation solution, frozen in the tissue eye bank with the standard procedure used for amniotic membrane, kept in quarantine and used after 6 months. The recipient also signed an informed consent. The lenticule was thawed at room temperature and sewn on the recipient cornea with individual sutures. An amniotic membrane patch was sewn on top,” Studeny said.
The first case was a 45-year-old woman with a corneal ulcer due to meningioma and facial nerve palsy. She had partial tarsorrhaphy, and amniotic membrane transplantation was performed three times without success. One week after transplantation of the corneal lenticule plus the amniotic membrane, the cornea had significantly improved.
The second case was a 73-year-old man with congenital ectropion, facial nerve palsy and a persistent cornel ulcer in the right eye. One week after corneal lenticule transplantation, the ulcer had healed.
In the third case, a severe alkali burn had resulted in a persistent corneal defect and limbal stem cell insufficiency. Lenticule transplantation was able to stabilize the cornea.
“The method seems safe and effective, and it is makes good use of waste products,” Studeny said. – by Michela Cimberle
Reference:
Studeny P. Corneal tissue lenticules from ReLEx SMILE for the treatment of corneal ulcers. Presented at European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting; Feb. 9-11, 2018; Belgrade, Serbia.
Disclosure: Studeny reports no relevant financial disclosures.