title: The Boston keratoprosthesis type I in mucous membrane pemphigoid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the use of the Boston keratoprosthesis type I implantation in patients with mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of 8 eyes of 8 patients with severe ocular surface disease and corneal blindness as a result of MMP who underwent Boston keratoprosthesis type I implantation at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2009. The main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, keratoprosthesis retention, and postoperative complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 71.3 years (range, 55-94 years), and the mean duration of their disease preoperatively was 6.1 years (range, 1.7-11.4 years). Visual acuity after the surgery improved to 20/200 or better in 6 eyes (75%) and to 20/40 or better in 3 eyes (37.5%). Only 1 of 6 eyes (16.7%) was able to maintain visual acuity of 20/200 or better over a mean follow-up period of 3.2 years. Five of the 8 Boston keratoprosthesis type I devices (62.5%) extruded or had to be replaced during a mean follow-up time of 1.7 ± 1.7 years. Loss of vision to worse than 20/200 during the follow-up period occurred because of keratoprosthesis type I extrusion, end-stage glaucoma, and retinal or choroidal detachment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical outcomes of Boston keratoprosthesis type I implantation in MMP are guarded and, as judged from the literature, less favorable than those with the Boston keratoprosthesis type II for the same disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Sotiria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palioura
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Claes H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Dohlman
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chodosh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology