title: Anterior-segment optical coherence tomography investigation of corneal deturgescence and epithelial remodeling after DSAEK.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate via Fourier-domain anterior-segment optical coherence tomography 3-dimensional corneal, epithelial, and graft thickness changes after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen eyes were investigated preoperatively and up to 6 months postoperatively for preoperative and postoperative central corneal thickness (CCT), minimum corneal thickness, central graft thickness (CGT), and for epithelial topographic thickness variability. An age-matched and gender-matched control group of 32 healthy eyes was used for comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the DSAEK group, the preoperative CCT was 582.32 ± 45.24 (550-615) μm. One-month postoperatively, the CCT was 736.26 ± 34.52 (713-771) μm, and the CGT was 210.42 ± 34.52 (145-243) μm. Three months postoperatively, the CCT was 641.39 ± 38.75 (569-684) μm, and the CGT was 171.23 ± 27.54 (119-185) μm. The preoperative center epithelial thickness was 55.74 ± 9.29 (45-74) μm, the minimum was 32.53 ± 14.30 (13-53) μm, the maximum was 76.00 ± 11.32 (64-105) μm, and the topographic thickness variability was 10.84 ± 4.09 (5.90-18.80) μm. Three months postoperatively, the center epithelial thickness was 47.21 ± 5.45 (43-56) μm, the minimum was 35.11 ± 4.70 (30-41) μm, the maximum was 58.11 ± 6.51 (49-65) μm, and the topographic variability was 4.77 ± 1.48 (2.90-6.50) μm. The average differences were -8.53, +4.53, and -17.89 μm for the center, minimum, and maximum (P < 0.001, <0.001, and <0.001). Similar results were obtained 3 and 6 months postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present a near-term postoperative investigation of the corneal and epithelial thickness changes after DSAEK for bullous keratopathy, by in vivo, clinical anterior-segment optical coherence tomography. Epithelial thickness recovery and normalization and corneal deturgescence were noted as early as in the first postoperative month.
authors: *Laservision.gr Eye Institute, Athens, Greece; and †Department of Ophthalmology, New York University Medical School, New York, NY.
authors: A John
authors: AJ
authors: Kanellopoulos
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Asimellis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063171:Corneal Pachymetry; D019781:Corneal Topography; D057111:Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence