The outcome of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) with different tamponade material.

• Main Authors: Mohd Amin, Muhammad Hafiz As-Shaarani, Akhtar Ali, Ahmad Nurfahmi, Mohd. Kamal, Khairidzan, Salam, Adzura
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: RE Ophthalmology
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/96321/13/96321_%20The%20outcome%20of%20Descemet%20membrane%20endothelial%20keratoplasty%20%28DMEK%29_book%20programme.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/96321/14/96321_%20The%20outcome%20of%20Descemet%20membrane%20endothelial%20keratoplasty%20%28DMEK%29_poster.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/96321/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcome of different tamponade material in Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). METHODS: Retrospective, interventional case series that includes 8 patients underwent DMEK performed by a single surgeon within Covid-19 pandemic period. All donor tissues were stripped by the operating surgeon with endothelial cell density of > 2400 cells/mm2. The tamponade material used were air in 2 patients, 20% sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas in 3 patients and 12% perfluoropropane (C3F8) gas in 3 patients. The main outcomes were graft detachment rate, rebubbling rate and graft survival rate. RESULTS: The overall graft detachment rate was 25% (2 patients). The graft detachment rate was 0% in 20% SF6 gas group compared to 50% (1 patient) from air tamponade group and 33.3% (1 patient) from 12% C3F8 gas group (p<0.05). The patient from air group underwent rebubbling twice while another patient from 12% C3F8 gas group underwent once. The overall survival rate was 75% (6 patients). All of them did not have graft detachment. CONCLUSION: 20% SF6 gas provides superior tamponade effect compared to both air and 12% C3F8 gas. The detachment rate influenced graft survival. Air tamponade showed higher rebubbling rate.