Herpetic keratitis after descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty for failed graft.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of herpetic epithelial keratitis after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) for a failed graft.


METHODS
A 31-year-old female patient underwent DSAEK for failed graft in left eye. She previously had undergone penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus in that eye.


RESULTS
One week after DSAEK, the patient presented with pain in left eye. The cornea showed two epithelial defects with dendritic edges that involved the penetrating keratoplasty graft host junction and showed positive fluorescein staining. Diagnosis of herpes simplex virus keratitis was made and the patient was started on oral acyclovir and topical trifluiridine. The epithelial lesions showed complete resolution in 3 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Herpes simplex virus epithelial keratitis can occur after DSAEK for failed grafts even in the absence of previous history of herpes simplex virus infection and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of postoperative epithelial defects.
Prasher
Pawan
P
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. pawanprasher@yahoo.com
Muftuoglu
Orkun
O
D000328:Adult; D001331:Automation; D003886:Descemet Membrane / Q000601:surgery*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000209:etiology*; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000601:surgery*; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation; D017211:Treatment Failure