Vol. 12, Special Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
Suhas P Sreenivas, Dr. KM Srinivasa Murthy, Dr. BN Nagaraja and Dr. V Mahesh

Abstract:
The study on evaluation of vacuum trephined corneal allograft transplantation for corneal ulcers and opacities was carried out in the Department of Surgery and Radiology, Veterinary College, Bangalore with the patients which had refractory corneal ulcers which were not responding to the medical treatment. The fluorescein dye test was used to confirm the corneal ulcer. The ulcers that were refractory to any of the medications were considered for corneal transplantation using vacuum trephined corneal allograft. Healthy donor eyes were harvested from the cadaver within one hour after death, the cornea along with sclera was carefully dissected and was stored in the corneal storage medium for transplantation. On the day of surgery, the recipient cornea was surgically removed and bed was prepared for allograft transplantation. The corneal button was trephined to match the diameter of the defect and was secured to the recipient bed using cardinal suture pattern under magnifying loupe magnification with polyglactin 910 6-0 size suture material. Temporary tarsorrhaphy was performed to prevent self-mutilation and to protect the eye from the environment. Post-operatively ceftriaxone @ 25 mg/kg body weight and prednisolone 1 mg/kg body weight twice daily were administered intramuscularly for 10 days. The moxifloxacin with dexamethasone eye drops were instilled into the eye after removal of tarsorrhaphy sutures. The corneal graft was successfully accepted by the host and the cornea became nearly transparent and the near satisfactory vision was retained by 60 days post-operatively.