Asian experience with the Pintucci keratoprosthesis.
OBJECTIVE
To report the outcome of a retrospective study of the Pintucci Biointegrable Keratoprosthesis (PBIKP) in Asian eyes.


METHODS
This was a retrospective analysis of 31 eyes of 31 consecutive patients, who underwent surgery with implantation of the PBIKP. The age ranged from 7 years to 65 years, with a mean age of 34 years. The indications for the PBIKP were chemical burns (11 cases); highly vascularized failed grafts (11 cases); severe dry eyes with total vascularized cornea (6 cases); miscellaneous (3 cases). Twenty eight bilaterally blind Asian patients, with vision not exceeding hand motion close to face in the better eye, underwent the classical two-stage procedure to implant the PBIKP. In another three patients, the PBIKP was implanted as a one-stage procedure. All 31 eyes were unsuitable for keratoplasty or had repeated failed keratoplasties. All patients were followed up for periods ranging from 6 months to 7 years, with a mean of 3.2 years.


RESULTS
No eye had infection or retro prosthetic membrane, which were common complications in other Keratoprostheses designs. Twenty-four of 31 eyes improved to greater than finger counting at 1.5 metres, enabling the patients to function independently. Four of 31 eyes (13%) improved to 20/200 or better. Twelve of 31 eyes had significant complications. However only a few were vision- threatening.


CONCLUSIONS
With careful patient selection, the PBIKP could prove to be a useful modality of treatment for bilaterally corneally blind Asian patients, whose vision cannot be improved with conventional medical or surgical treatments.
Maskati
Quresh B
QB
Maskati Eye Clinic, Mumbai, India. qureshmaskati@gmail.com
Maskati
B T
BT
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome