Partial lamellar keratoplasty for peripheral corneal disease using a graft from the glycerin-preserved corneoscleral rim.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the feasibility of partial lamellar keratoplasty (LK) for treatment of peripheral corneal disease (PCD) using a graft from the corneoscleral rim preserved in glycerin.

METHODS: Patients who underwent LK for PCD at Shandong Eye Hospital from January 2006 to December 2012 were included. Corneoscleral rims of donor grafts, out of which the corneal buttons had been punched and used for penetrating keratoplasty, were preserved in glycerin and used for LK procedures. A trephine of 7.5-8.0 mm was used to mark the central cornea. An excision was made according to the size of the lesions, after which a partial ring-shaped corneoscleral graft was transplanted to repair the peripheral cornea. Visual acuity, refractive astigmatism, and complications were monitored.

RESULTS: There were 26 patients (28 eyes), including 15 patients with Terrien's marginal degeneration, eight with Mooren's ulcer, two with Wegener's granulomatosis, and one with peripheral corneal ulcer. The mean follow-up was 15 months (range, 6-36 months). Uncorrected visual acuity was improved by a mean of 3.17 Snellen chart lines (P = 0.010), and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was improved by a mean of 0.85 Snellen chart lines (P = 0.045) at 6 months after surgery. The refractive astigmatism decreased by 5.1 ± 8.6 diopters (P = 0.003). Two patients suffering graft ulcers (recurrence) were successfully treated by a second partial LK. No graft rejection occurred.

CONCLUSIONS: Partial LK using a graft from the corneoscleral rim appears to be effective in the treatment of patients with PCD. This approach saves the donor graft, which is important in the countries or regions with scarcity of donor tissue.