title: Posterior lamellar keratoplasty for treatment of deep stromal absesses in nine horses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate the use of posterior lamellar keratoplasty as a surgical treatment for deep corneal stromal abscesses in horses. Animals studied Nine horses of various breeds and ages that presented with corneal stromal abscesses located in the posterior one-third of the cornea. Procedure Retrospective medical record study. RESULTS: Nine horses had deep corneal stromal abscesses that were treated with posterior lamellar keratoplasty. Median patient age was 3 years. Six patients were females and three were geldings. Medical therapy alone had been attempted prior to surgery in all nine animals. Corneal abscess culture and histopathology were performed in 8/9 horses. Cultures were positive for an infectious etiology in 4/8 (50%). Histopathology was positive for an infectious etiology in 5/8 (62.5%). Mean surgical time was 71.0 +/- 18.8 min and the average healing time was 23.7 +/- 5.2 days. Visual outcome was positive in 8/9 cases. Conclusion Posterior lamellar keratoplasty is a promising procedure for treatment of deep corneal stromal abscesses in horses. The procedure resulted in considerable shorter surgery time and healing time than had been observed with full-thickness penetrating keratoplasty. Scar formation with this procedure was not significantly different than with penetrating keratoplasty.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Large and Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Comparative Ophthalmology, University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 100126, Gainesville, FL 32610-0126, USA.
authors.forename: S.E.
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.forename: D.E.
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: D.J.
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Biros
authors.forename: H.M.
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Denis
authors.forename: T.J.
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Cutler
authors.forename: K.N.
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Gelatt