J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2021 May;62(5):702-708. 10.3341/jkos.2021.62.5.702.

Repeat Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty after Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty Graft Failure

• Kim GH
• Ha MJ
• Chang DJ
• Whang WJ
• Byun YS
• Hwang HB
• Na KS
• Rho CR
• Lee HS
• Chung SH
• Kim EC
• Cho YK
• Kim HS
• Kim MS
• Hwang HS

• KMID: 2515955
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2021.62.5.702

Abstract

Purpose
To report a case of secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for graft failure after primary DMEK.
Case summary
A 47-year-old female underwent primary DMEK in her left eye with a diagnosis of Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy. At 6 weeks later, corneal stromal edema with epithelial and subepithelial bullae was first observed. From that point on, the condition of the cornea and the visual acuity continued to degrade. After 7 months, a second DMEK procedure (i.e., a repeat DMEK) for graft failure was performed successfully without any complications. Since the second procedure, the cornea has been clear, and the best-corrected visual acuity has remained at 0.6 for 8 months.
Conclusions
To manage graft failure after primary DMEK, we performed a second DMEK procedure. The removal of the previous graft was easy, and there were no complications. Thus, repeat DMEK may be a feasible procedure.

Keyword

Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty, Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy, Graft failure, Repeat Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty