title: Scrolls of Descemet's membrane in healed syphilitic interstitial keratitis.
abstract: A 45-year-old woman with healed syphilitic interstitial keratitis presented with decreased vision, foreign-body sensation of the right eye, and bilateral conjunctival injection. Examination disclosed a network of tissue on the posterior corneal surface, with extension into the anterior chamber. Bullous keratopathy developed after intracapsular cataract extraction, and a keratoplasty was performed. Pathologic examination of the corneal button disclosed corneal edema, posterior stromal vascularization, much thickening of Descemet's membrane, and concentrically laminated scrolls of Descemet's membrane-like tissue that extended from the posterior corneal surface into the anterior chamber. Endothelium was attenuated considerably throughout and in one area was replaced by a single layer of iris melanocytes.
mesh_terms: D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D003886:Descemet Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000473:pathology*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000473:pathology*; D014945:Wound Healing