WHAT IS PK?
(Penetrating Keratoplasty)

A cornea transplant, which replaces damaged tissue on the eye's clear surface, also is referred to as keratoplasty, penetrating keratoplasty (PK) or corneal graft.

A graft replaces central corneal tissue, damaged due to disease or eye injury, with healthy corneal tissue donated from a local eye bank. An unhealthy cornea affects your vision by scattering or distorting light and causing glare and blurred vision. A cornea transplant may be necessary to restore your functional vision

WHAT IS DSAEK?
(Endothelial Keratoplasty)

DSAEK is an amazing new method of performing corneal transplants. This procedure works for patients whose corneas begin to cloud over due to endothelial dysfunction (this surgery cannot be performed on a scarred cornea, or an irregularly shaped cornea). The endothelium is a layer of pump cells on the back surface of the cornea inside the eye. These cells pump fluid from the cornea to keep the tissue compact and clear. If the pump cells are not working the cornea swells and becomes cloudy.

The most common cause for endothelial dysfunction is an inherited disease called FUCHS dystrophy. In DSAEK, instead of transplanting the full thickness cornea, only these diseased pump cells are replaced. Unlike conventional corneal transplant surgery known as penetrating keratoplasty (PK), the DSAEK procedure utilizes a much smaller surgical incision and requires no corneal sutures. This usually results in more rapid visual rehabilitation for the DSAEK patient and also reduces the risk of sight threatening complications that may occur with the PK procedure such as intraoperative expulsive hemorrhage or post operative traumatic wound rupture.

DSAEK is indicated for those patients who have corneal pathology located on the posterior aspect of their cornea known as the endothelial layer. The endothelial layer of the cornea is a monolayer of cells attached to a basement membrane called Descemet’s membrane.

© Copyright 2010 Richard S. Kalski, M.D.

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