Simple, inexpensive, and effective injector for descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty.
OBJECTIVE
We describe an inexpensive, simple, and effective endothelium-Descemet membrane (EDM) graft injector assembled from regular operating room supplies in Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).


METHODS
To assemble the injector, standard intravenous tubing was cut approximately 2 inches from the Luer lock end, leaving a steep bevel. The cut end of the tubing was firmly wedged bevel up and advanced into the back of an Alcon IOL B cartridge. The Luer lock end of the tubing was then attached to a 5- or 10-mL syringe filled with BSS Plus. The EDM graft was then placed into a Petri dish filled with BSS. After the graft was sucked into an injector with bevel-side up under the surgical microscope, the graft was then inserted into the anterior chamber with the injector through the main incision in the superotemporal quadrant.


RESULTS
In seven eyes of seven patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy treated with DMEK using our injector, clear attached grafts and improved visual acuity were achieved.


CONCLUSIONS
This simple, inexpensive, and effective injector is a safe and viable device to facilitate this part of DMEK surgery.
*Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD; and †Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Eun Chul
EC
Kim
Gustavo
G
Bonfadini
Leisha
L
Todd
Angela
A
Zhu
Albert S
AS
Jun
D000368:Aged; D057111:Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005642:Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology