title: Spontaneous corneal clearing after Descemet's stripping without endothelial replacement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report spontaneous corneal clearing with improved visual acuity and central endothelial cell repopulation after Descemet's stripping without endothelial replacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interventional case report.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 34-year-old woman with bilateral decreased vision secondary to corneal edema from endothelial dysfunction underwent Descemet's stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) in the right eye and Descemet's stripping only in the left eye. Histopathologic evaluation confirmed a dual diagnosis of Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy and posterior polymorphous membrane dystrophy from Descemet's membrane specimens removed from each eye. After primary graft failure with regraft in the right eye, the second posterior corneal lenticule detached and was removed and not replaced. The cornea cleared, and central endothelial cell repopulation was documented by confocal microscopy. Therefore, Descemet's stripping without endothelial replacement was performed in the left eye. The left cornea also cleared with central endothelial cell repopulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postoperative visual acuity and central endothelial cell repopulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endothelial migration after Descemet's stripping alone in the left eye, with probable host endothelial cell repopulation in the right eye.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endothelial cell migration after Descemet's stripping procedure without insertion of endothelial graft can occur, resulting from host endothelial cell repopulation with corneal clearing and improved visual acuity.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors: Rupa D
authors: RD
authors: Shah
authors: J Bradley
authors: JB
authors: Randleman
authors: Hans E
authors: HE
authors: Grossniklaus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D057111:Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005642:Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D012086:Reoperation; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology