title: Cross-linking as an adjuvant treatment for tectonic corneal lamellar graft preparation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a new surgical approach for the tectonic reconstruction of the anterior ocular segment and the management of scleral and conjuctival melting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series of patients demonstrating anterior segment anomalies, such as scleral and conjunctival melting. The anterior stromal part of a pre-cut corneal graft for Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) was cross-linked with riboflavin and ultraviolet A irradiation and was used to cover scleral (scleral melting in a patient with necrotizing scleritis, one case) and conjuctival (dehiscence of the conjunctiva in patients with anti-glaucomatous valve exposure, two cases) areas. The endothelial part of all corneal grafts was used for DSAEK in patients with need of corneal endothelial transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Repair of scleral and conjuctival melting was successful in all cases. No intra- or post- operative complications occured. Visual acuity of all patients remained stable during the follow up period. One year postoperatively the corneal graft remained in place and no signs of inflammation were evident, while all grafts were epithelialized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of cross-linked corneal graft for the tectonic reconstruction of the anterior ocular segment represents an adequate surgical approach for the management of scleral and conjuctival melting; while, at the same time it offers the advantage of using one corneal graft for two recipients.
authors.affiliation: Vardinoyiannion Eye Institute of Crete (VEIC), Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: George D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kymionis
authors.forename: Argyro D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Plaka
authors.forename: Vasilios F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Diakonis
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Grentzelos
authors.forename: Georgios A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kontadakis
authors.forename: Andreana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mersinoglou
authors.forename: Efstathios T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Detorakis
authors.forename: Fotis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Topouzis
keywords: Corneal collagen cross-linking; conjuctival melting; corneal transplantation.; scleral melting