scholarly journals Demonstration of Optical Coherence Tomography Guided Big Bubble Technique for Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK)

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 428
Author(s):  
Shoujing Guo ◽  
Nicolas R. Sarfaraz ◽  
William G. Gensheimer ◽  
Axel Krieger ◽  
Jin U. Kang

Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) is a highly challenging procedure for cornea transplant that involves removing the corneal layers above Descemet’s membrane (DM). This is achieved by a “big bubble” technique where a needle is inserted into the stroma of the cornea down to DM and the injection of either air or liquid. DALK has important advantages over penetrating keratoplasty (PK) including lower rejection rate, less endothelial cell loss, and increased graft survival. In this paper, we successfully designed and evaluated the optical coherence tomography (OCT) distal sensor integrated needle for a precise big bubble technique. We successfully used this sensor for micro-control of a robotic DALK device termed AUTO-DALK for autonomous big bubble needle insertion. The OCT distal sensor was integrated inside a 25-gauge needle, which was used for pneumo-dissection. The AUTO-DALK device is built on a manual trephine platform which includes a vacuum ring to fix the device on the eye and add a needle driver at an angle of 60 degrees from vertical. During the test on five porcine eyes with a target depth of 90%, the measured insertion depth as a percentage of cornea thickness for the AUTO-DALK device was 90.05 % ± 2.33 % without any perforation compared to 79.16 % ± 5.68 % for unassisted free-hand insertion and 86.20 % ± 5.31 % for assisted free-hand insertion. The result showed a higher precision and consistency of the needle placement with AUTO-DALK, which could lead to better visual outcomes and fewer complications.








2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Amro Abuelkheir ◽  
Mohamed Bahgat Goweida ◽  
Nada Medhat ◽  
Hany Ahmed Helaly

Introduction. Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) is now becoming an increasingly popular surgical technique in treating corneal stromal pathologies with healthy endothelium. Several advantages of DALK over penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) have been described such as maintenance of globe integrity, absence of endothelial rejection, and a low rate of chronic endothelial cell loss (ECL). ECL following PKP results in 50% cell loss after 2 years from the estimated graft endothelial cell density (ECD). Although there are several reports confirming that ECL following DALK is similar to the physiologic cell loss 2 years after surgery, few reports discussed the surgically induced ECL due to difficulty in preoperative imaging of ECD. Materials and Methods. This prospective, interventional study included 20 eyes of 20 patients, who underwent DALK surgery. 11 eyes underwent DALK using the big bubble technique, while 9 eyes underwent the microbubble technique. Postoperative evaluation was done 3 months after surgery and included best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), keratometric readings, and refraction measured using an autokeratorefractometer (Topcon KR800, Japan) and endothelial cell density (ECD) using noncontact specular microscopy (Nidek CEM-530, Japan). Results. Regarding postoperative parameters such as postoperative logMAR visual acuity, postoperative mean K, and postoperative K max, there was no statistical difference found between both groups ( P = 0.754 , P = 0.119 , and P = 0.970 , respectively). Regarding change in specular endothelial cell density and percent change in the specular endothelial cell density, again there was no statistical difference between both groups with P = 0.057 and P = 0.126 , respectively (significance defined as P < 0.05 ). Conclusion. ECD is not affected by failure of the big bubble to form and continuing DALK via the microbubble technique.





2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yujin Zhao ◽  
Hong Zhuang ◽  
Jiaxu Hong ◽  
Lijia Tian ◽  
Jianjiang Xu

Abstract Backgroud: Previous studies of internal graft-host malappositions have not dealt with the precise ways in which each malapposition affected post-penetrating keratoplasty (post-PK) visual outcomes. In this study, we reviewed our post-PK and post-deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (post-DALK) keratoconic patients and used anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) to evaluate the correlations between graft-host interface (GHI) characteristics and visual outcomes. Methods: Novel GHI metrics included: mean graft-host touch (GHT), total prevalence of malapposition proportion (Pm), frequency of apposition (F), size of malapposition (Sm), junctional graft thickness (Tg), and the absolute value of difference between Tg and Th (|Tg-Th|). We connected the external and internal junction points of GHI (GHT) and drew a straight line through the central point, perpendicular to both sides of the cornea. Tg and Th were the thicknesses at cross-points 1 mm away from the meeting point on the external side of the graft and host, respectively. Correlations between GHI metrics and postsurgical visual outcomes [ logarithm of minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR BCVA), spherical equivalent diopter (SE), diopter of spherical power (DS), diopter of cylindrical power (DC) and keratometric astigmatism (Astig value)] were evaluated for 45 patients (one eye each). Results: 22 post-PK and 23 post-DALK keratoconic patients were enrolled. Compared with the regular-apposition results, GHT was decreased in step and gape patterns, and increased in hill and tag patterns. SE increased by 6.851, 5.428 and 5.164 times for every 1% increase in: F (step) [b=6.851; 95% Confidence interval (CI)=2.975-10.727; P=0.001]; F (graft step) [b=5.428; 95% CI=1.685-9.171; P=0.005]; and Pm [b=5.164; 95%CI=0.913-9.146; P=0.018], respectively. SE increased by 0.031 times for every 1-μm increment of |Tg-Th| [b=0.031; 95% CI=0.009-0.054; P=0.007]. LogMAR BCVA increased by 0.001 times for every 1-μm increment of both GHT [b=0.001; 95% CI=0-0.002; P=0.030]. and Tg [b=0.001; 95% CI=0.001-0.002; P=0.001]. Astig value increased by 0.017 times for 1-μm increment of Sm [b=0.017; 95% CI=0-0.033; P=0.047]. Conclusion: This investigation of GHI characteristics suggests explanations for varied ametropia in keratoconic eyes and has potential significance as a reference for promoting pre-surgical planning and technology for corneal transplantation.



2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yujin Zhao ◽  
Hong Zhuang ◽  
Jiaxu Hong ◽  
Lijia Tian ◽  
Jianjiang Xu

Abstract Backgroud: Previous studies of internal graft-host malappositions have not dealt with the precise ways in which each malapposition affected post-penetrating keratoplasty (post-PK) visual outcomes. In this study, we reviewed our post-PK and post-deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (post-DALK) keratoconic patients and used anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) to evaluate the associations between graft-host interface (GHI) characteristics and visual outcomes. Methods: Novel GHI metrics included: mean graft-host touch (GHT), total prevalence of malapposition proportion (Pm), frequency of apposition (F), size of malapposition (Sm), junctional graft thickness (Tg), junctional host thickness (Th) and the absolute value of difference between Tg and Th (|Tg-Th|). We connected the external and internal junction points of GHI (GHT) and drew a straight line through the central point, perpendicular to both sides of the cornea. Tg and Th were the thicknesses at cross-points 1 mm away from the meeting point on the external side of the graft and host, respectively. Linear regression analysis was used to describe associations between GHI metrics and postsurgical visual outcomes [ logarithm of minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR BCVA), spherical equivalent diopter (SE), diopter of spherical power (DS), diopter of cylindrical power (DC) and keratometric astigmatism (Astig value)]. Results: We enrolled 22 post-PK and 23 post-DALK keratoconic patients. Compared with the regular-apposition results, GHT was decreased in step and gape patterns, and increased in hill and tag patterns. SE increased averagely by 6.851, 5.428 and 5.164 diopter per 1% increase in: F (step) [β=6.851; 95% Confidence interval (CI)=2.975-10.727; P=0.001]; F (graft step) [β=5.428; 95% CI=1.685-9.171; P=0.005]; and Pm [β=5.164; 95%CI=0.913-9.146; P=0.018], respectively. SE increased averagely by 0.31 diopter per 10-μm increment in |Tg-Th| [β=0.031; 95% CI=0.009-0.054; P=0.007]. LogMAR BCVA increased (on average) by 0.01 per 10-μm increment in both GHT [β=0.001; 95% CI=0-0.002; P=0.030]. and Tg [β=0.001; 95% CI=0.001-0.002; P=0.001]. Astig value increased on average by 0.17 diopter per 10-μm increment in Sm [β=0.017; 95% CI=0-0.033; P=0.047]. Conclusion: This investigation of GHI characteristics suggests explanations for varied ametropia in keratoconic eyes and has potential significance as a reference for promoting pre-surgical planning and technology for corneal transplantation.



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