EEBA Program (PDF/3MB) - EEBA - Annual Meeting

PREDICTABILITY OF PRE-CUT SINGLE-PASS ULTRA-THIN DSAEK LAMELLAE THICKNESS WITHA NOVEL OPERATOR-INDEPENDENT HANDS-FREE MECHANICAL MICROKERATOME SYSTEMM. M. Dickman¹, F. W. van Marion², Y. Schuchard², P. Steijger-Vermaat², R. M.M.A. Nuijts¹¹University Eye Clinic Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Center; ²Euro Cornea Bank Beverwijk; The NetherlandsPurpose: To report our preliminary experimental results using the Gebauer SLc operator-independenthands-free mechanical microkeratome system for single-pass pre-cutting of ultra-thin DSAEK lamellaeby eye bank technicians.Methods: Twenty-five human donor corneas unsuitable for transplantation were obtained fromthe Euro Cornea Bank, Beverwijk, The Netherlands. Corneas were preserved in minimal essentialmedium (MEM) and transferred to a transport medium containing 6% Dextran 24 hours prior todissection. Corneoscleral buttons were mounted on the artificial anterior chamber of the GebauerSLc microkeratome system (Gebauer, Neuhausen, Germany) and pressure was adjusted to 65 mmHg.Following epithelial removal, central corneal thickness was measured by ultrasonic pachymetry(Corneo-Gage Plus, Cleveland, OH). The Gebauer SLc system equipped with either a 400,450,500 or550-µm head, depending on the thickness of the cornea was used for lamellar dissection. For eachcornea a new blade was used. Following dissection, the thickness of the cut anterior lamella wasmeasured using the Vogel electrical micrometer (resolution 1 µm; Vogel GmbH, Germany).Results: All lamellar dissections were completed successfully without complications. The mean (± SD)cutting depth using the Gebauer SLc microkeratome system was 392 ± 20 µm with the 400-µm head(n=5), 459 ± 19 µm with the 450-µm head (n=9), 505 ± 19 µm with the 500-µm head (n=6) and 552 ±11 µm with the 550-µm head (n=5).Conclusions: The Gebauer SLc operator-independent hands-free mechanical microkeratome systemenables single-pass dissection of DSAEK lamellae with a low standard deviation allowing the corneabank to safely provide the surgeon with precut tissue of any desired thickness. Further studiesassessing endothelial cell viability and clinical outcomes of such grafts are needed.38