title: Superficial keratectomy for chronic corneal ulcers refractory to medical treatment in 36 cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the outcome of a case series in which superficial keratectomy was used as a treatment for chronic corneal ulceration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six cats (41 eyes) with ulcerative keratitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one superficial lamellar keratectomies were performed. Thirty-two and a half percent (32.5%) of the ulcers were resolved within 2 weeks and 85% within 4 weeks after surgery. Nonhealing surgical cases after 4 weeks (13% of the eyes) resolved with prolonged postoperative medical treatment. The mean time to healing was 22.1 days (range 7-74 days). At the end of the follow-up period (mean 8.9 months, range 1-36 months), 82.5% of eyes had regained very good to excellent corneal transparency. Nine cases relapsed (21.9% of the eyes) after surgery. Of those cases, the cornea of eight cats healed after undergoing medical treatment, and one underwent a second limited superficial lamellar keratectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Superficial keratectomy in cats is an effective treatment to resolve chronic ulcerative keratitis refractory to medical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Eye Clinic, 39 rue Rouelle, 75015, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jégou
authors.affiliation: Vetoadom, 140 avenue Henri Ginoux, 92120, Montrouge, France.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tromeur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002415:Cats; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: cat; chronic corneal ulcer; feline herpesvirus; keratectomy; keratitis