Surgical Management of Limbal Dermoids Using Anterior Corneal Buttons From Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty Donor Tissue as Patch Grafts.

PURPOSE: To assess the surgical and clinical outcomes of anterior lamellar keratoplasty using anterior corneal buttons from Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) donor tissue.

METHODS: Retrospective data from 8 patients with unilateral limbal dermoids, treated between February 2011 and January 2016 at National Taiwan University Hospital, were analyzed. Donor corneas for DSAEK were divided into anterior and posterior lamellae using a 350-μm microkeratome. Anterior corneal buttons were stored for up to 4 weeks in storage media before being used as patch grafts for anterior lamellar keratoplasty.

RESULTS: Corneoscleral integrity was preserved in all cases. Three of the 8 patients showed improved best-corrected visual acuity after surgery. Three patients' astigmatism reduced by more than 0.75 diopters. All 8 patients had satisfactory cosmesis after surgery. Neovascularization at the graft-host junction and graft edema was noted in 1 patient and was treated using bevacizumab injection and topical steroid.

CONCLUSIONS: Anterior corneal buttons obtained from DSAEK can be used as patch grafts for surgical management of limbal dermoids. This procedure achieved satisfactory cosmetic and visual outcomes in our study. This procedure may potentially allow one corneal tissue to be received by multiple patients.