title: [Visual acuity and endothelial cell density following Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical outcomes of DMEK in the first series of 120 eyes operated for the treatment of Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in terms of visual acuity and endothelial cell density.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first 120 consecutive eyes that underwent DMEK (i.e. transplantation of an isolated donor Descemet membrane with its endothelium) were evaluated. In all eyes, the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery, as well as the endothelial cell density (ECD) before and at 6 months were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In eyes with a functional DMEK graft and good visual potential (n=96), the BCVA was ≥ 20/40 (≥ 0.5) in 77% after 1 month, 92% after 3 months, and 95% after six months; ≥ 20/25 (≥ 0.8) in 50%, 63%, and 73% of the cases, and ≥ 20/20 (≥ 1.0) in 23%, 34%, and 45% of the cases at 1, 3, and 6 months respectively. In this group, ECD averaged 2610 (± 185) cells/mm(2) before, and 1770 (± 520) cells/mm(2) at six months after surgery (n=96). In 15 eyes, a secondary Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) was performed. In this group, 91% of patients reached a BCVA of ≥ 20/40 (≥ 0.5) and only one patient achieved a BCVA of 0.8 at 6 months after surgery (n=11). Furthermore, ECD averaged 2580 (± 185) cells/mm(2) before and 1310 (± 740) cells/mm(2) at six months (n=13).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DMEK provides a fast and high visual rehabilitation. Endothelial cell density loss may be similar to earlier types of endothelial keratoplasty.
authors: Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery, Rotterdam, Holanda. isadapena@gmail.com
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Dapena
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Dapena
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Dirisamer
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Ham
authors: Gerrit R J
authors: GR
authors: Melles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002452:Cell Count; D057111:Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005642:Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity