title: [Keratoplasty with 11-12 mm diameter for management of severely chemical-burned eyes].
abstract: Up to now 73 patients with 101 very severe eye burns have been operated on in our clinic. Thirty-nine patients were treated by a penetrating keratoplasty. More than 1 year after the accident 8 patients were treated with keratoplasties, 11-12 mm in diameter. These large diameters were necessary, because 6 patients developed widespread progressive corneal ulcerations, and in 2 patients the artificial epithelium failed to protect the denuded corneal stroma and sloughed off because of deep stromal defects. The long-term follow-up in these cases is now at least 1 year. Six grafts remained clear with a healthy epithelial layer. The resulting visual acuity in these cases ranged from 0.1 to 0.5. Five patients developed a cataract secondary to the application of steroids. Two grafts were rejected in a very early period 2-3 months after transplantation. In corneal melting processes including the limbal region, treatment with large keratoplasties seems to be a possibility for long-lasting healing and rehabilitation in very severe eye burns. Important for the prognosis of the graft obviously is the restoration of an intact limbal region.
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik, Medizinische Fakultät der RWTH Aachen.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuckelkorn
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Redbrake
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Schrage
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000601:surgery*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000601:surgery; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
vernacular_title: Keratoplastik mit 11-12 mm Durchmesser zur Versorgung von schwerstverätzten Augen.