title: Eckardt Keratoprosthesis for Tectonic Repair of a Large Corneal Perforation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on the use of the Eckardt keratoprosthesis as an emergency temporary tectonic seal for a full-thickness, large decentered corneal perforation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report and review of the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 47-year-old male patient with myotonic dystrophy presented with a large corneal perforation as a complication of chronic ulceration caused by lagophthalmia and recurrent herpetic keratitis. The perforation was triggered by a superinfection with Gram-positive bacteria. In an emergency setting where no donor cornea was available, the Eckardt keratoprosthesis was sutured into the debrided corneal defect as a tectonic measure. A secondary procedure, consisting of open sky cataract extraction combined with penetrating keratoplasty was performed 3 weeks later. During this period, the prosthesis was well tolerated and the anterior chamber stayed well formed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Eckardt keratoprosthesis allowed us to convert what would have been an emergency à chaud keratoplasty into a well-controlled elective procedure. In our case, the silicone prosthesis was well tolerated during the 3-week period while awaiting final repair with a corneal donor button.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium; †Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; and ‡Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Helsen
authors.forename: Sorcha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ní Dhubhghaill
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koppen
mesh_terms: D057112:Corneal Perforation / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003646:Debridement; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014945:Wound Healing