title: Urgent Therapeutic Grafting of Platelet-Rich Fibrin Membrane in Descemetocele.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the clinical and histopathological results of a novel autologous scaffold grafting, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) membrane, in cases with descemetocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients with severe corneal stromal melting and central descemetocele caused by neurotrophic keratopathy and infective keratitis underwent PRF membrane grafting on the central cornea for the prevention of imminent corneal perforation. After a quiescent 3-month period, penetrating keratoplasty and cataract extraction were performed for visual rehabilitation in 1 patient and host corneal tissue was examined histopathologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain was significantly relieved, conjunctival inflammation was markedly resolved, and the central descemetocele area became thicker with scar formation in all patients. Histopathological examination revealed fibrosis formation over the descemetocele area without any tissue gap. Newly formed tissue containing irregular corneal lamellae covered the fibrosis formation and accounted for the prevention of perforation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Temporary PRF membrane grafting may be an alternative intervention to avoid impending corneal perforation in cases with severe descemetocele.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey; †Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey; and ‡Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Erol
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Can
authors.forename: Gamze
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dereli Can
authors.forename: Nurullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cagil
authors.forename: Hasan Basri
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Cakmak
authors.forename: Nuran
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sungu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D057112:Corneal Perforation / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D003886:Descemet Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D005337:Fibrin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D005337:Fibrin