Simultaneous Keratolimbal Autograft and Penetrating Autokeratoplasty: A Single-Stage Procedure to Restore Monocular Vision of a Blind Patient With Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency.

PURPOSE: To describe the technique of simultaneous keratolimbal autograft and penetrating autokeratoplasty to restore monocular vision of a blind patient with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD).

METHODS: A patient with acquired monocular vision due to loss of the left eye owing to LSCD postblast injury presented with acute loss of vision in the right eye due to central retinal artery occlusion. Simultaneous keratolimbal autograft and penetrating autokeratoplasty were performed in attempt to restore his vision in the left eye.

RESULTS: Postoperatively, the anterior chamber was well formed along with mild graft edema on day 1. Topo-guided suture removal was started at 4 months. The graft maintained clear transparency at 1-year follow-up, and the best-corrected visual acuity improved from hand movement to 20/50.

CONCLUSIONS: Keratolimbal autograft and penetrating autokeratoplasty, as a one-stage procedure, proved to be effective in restoring monocular vision in a patient with LSCD.