title: Five year follow up of biocolonisable microporous fluorocarbon haptic (BIOKOP) keratoprosthesis implantation in patients with high risk of corneal graft failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the anatomical and visual performance following implantation of a model of artificial cornea and to evaluate the postoperative long term complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  11 eyes of 11 patients with bilateral corneal blindness considered as potentially having high risk of failure of penetrating corneal keratoplasty were implanted with biocolonisable Kpro keratoprosthesis (BIOKOP I, FCI, Rantigny, France) in the period between January 1996 and May 1998. Only one eye was implanted in all patients and followed up for a period of 60 months. The visual outcome, anatomical and functional stability, complications, and the general performance of the keratoprosthesis were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The keratoprosthesis (BIOKOP I) only 36.3% remained in position to date. In the patients' last visit five eyes (45.4%) were blind and one (9.0%) showed a slight improvement in the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in comparison to preoperative tests. Six eyes (54.5%) showed improved BCVA before having postoperative complications. Four eyes underwent replacement of a BIOKOP I Kpro with a BIOKOP II as a result of extrusion. The keratoprostheses remained anatomically in situ for a mean of 25.5 months and their functional performance period was limited to a mean of 22 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corneal keratoprosthesis (BIOKOP I, II) does not provide a stable anatomical relation with the surrounding ocular structures. Its ability to restore vision is limited to a short postoperative period in eyes implanted with severe ocular surface disease.
authors.affiliation: Vissum/Instituto Oftalmológico de Alicante, Avda de Denia s/n, Edificio Vissum, 03016 Alicante, Spain. jlalio@oftalio.com
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alió
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mulet
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haroun
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Merayo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ruiz Moreno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons