DSEK shown to be safe, effective therapy, according to AAO cornea panel

San Francisco-Descemet’s stripping endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK) was shown to be a safe and effective treatment for corneal endothelial diseases, according to a 2009 review by the cornea panel of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s (AAO) Ophthalmic Technology Assessment Committee, led by W. Barry Lee, MD.

DSEK was shown to be superior to penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in terms of earlier recovery and stability of vision, refractive status after surgery, and specific risks and complications associated with surgery and recovery, according to outcome comparisons derived from the review. DSEK and PK outcomes were similar in terms of survival of the transplanted cornea, acuity and endothelial cell loss, and specific surgical risks and complication rates.

"To further improve DSEK and related procedures and provide the best patient care, we need prospective clinical studies to set expectations for long-term endothelial cell survival and to determine acceptable complication rates," Dr. Lee said. "Another important research area is how to improve [donor cornea] preparation and surgical techniques to increase endothelial cell survival.”