title: Corneal perforation in a premature infant.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few cases of corneal perforation in a premature infant have been described in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Identical twins were born at 30-weeks gestation. One twin developed a corneal epithelial defect, infiltration, and perforation with extrusion of intraocular contents, requiring an emergency penetrating keratoplasty. The second twin developed a progressive corneal opacity, requiring a lamellar keratectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After penetrating keratoplasty, the patient developed absolute glaucoma with buphthalmos, leading to enucleation. The twin's lamellar keratectomy specimen proved to be a dermoid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One must be aware of the danger of the development of spontaneous corneal perforation with extrusion of intraocular contents in premature infants presenting at birth with an epithelial defect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Zagelbaum
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Stroh
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Donnenfeld
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cossari
mesh_terms: D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000209:etiology*; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D006801:Humans; D006871:Hydrophthalmos / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous