Looking to long-range keratoprosthesis outcomes

Chicago-Findings from a single-surgeon consecutive series including 97 eyes with up to 12 years of follow-up provide realistic insights for corneal surgeons about long-term outcomes after implantation of the Boston keratoprosthesis type 1 (“Boston KPro”; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary).

The information-which included analyses of visual acuity results, device retention rates, and complications associated with the permanent keratoprosthesis-was presented by Anthony J. Aldave, MD, at Cornea 2016.

Dr. Aldave noted that long-term results of the Boston KPro was the subject of a retrospective study published about 2 years ago [Ophthalmology. 2014;12:2159-2164].

“I was fortunate to be part of that group and consider it a very important publication,” said Dr. Aldave, professor of ophthalmology, The Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles.

“However, the data are from a multicenter cohort and reflect many different surgeons with different indications for surgery and different postoperative management regimens,” he said. “I wanted to look at the long-term outcomes of the Boston Kpro in my experience as a single surgeon.”

His series included 93 patients and encompassed 120 implantation procedures performed between May 2004 and May 2011. The average follow-up was just under 5 years.

The most common indication for the Boston Kpro procedure was failed corneal transplant (57%) followed by Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS; 11%) and chemical injury (10%).

“In almost every KPro series, failed corneal transplant is the most common indication, and we know that SJS and chemical injury are associated with a more guarded long-term prognosis,” Dr. Aldave said.

Internal server error