Two-step strategy—conjunctival flap covering surgery combined with secondary deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty for the treatment of high-risk fungal keratitis

AIM:To investigate whether the two-step strategy[conjunctival flap covering surgery(CFCS)combined with secondary deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty(DALK)]is effective for patients with high-risk fungal keratitis(FK).METHODS:In this noncomparative,retrospective case series,10 subjects(6 males,4 females)with a mean age of 56.5±7.1(range 47-72)y with high-risk FK undergone the two-step strategy were included.Reported outcome measures were healing of the corneal ulcer,recurrence of FK,reject reaction,improvement in best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)and relevant complications.RESULTS:The average diameter of corneal infiltrates was 7.50±0.39 mm,ranging from 6.94 to 8.13 mm.The mean depth of corneal infiltrates was 422.4±77.1μm,ranging from 350 to 535μm.The mean corneal thickness was 597.4±117.3μm,ranging from 458 to 851μm.Hypopyon and endothelial plaques were presented in all patients.The period between the two steps was 3.65±0.9(ranging from 3 to 5)mo.The graft diameter was 7.75±0.39 mm.At the last follow-up(average 9.25±3.39,ranging from 5.5 to 17mo),no fungal recurrence or graft rejection appeared,and all patients showed improvement of BCVA.One patient suffered from liver function impairment due to oral voriconazole for 4wk and recovered spontaneously after 1wk of drug withdrawal.CONCLUSION:The two-step strategy is safe and effective in the treatment of high-risk FK by transforming intentional therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty during acute infection to later optical DALK.It is a practical strategy,especially in areas lacking fresh donor corneas and eye bank services.

Preliminary study on the efficacy of lacrimal duct reconstruction with pedicled conjunctival flap in the treatment of severe lacrimal canalicular obstruction with conjunctivochalasis

AIM:To determine the efficacy and safety of pedicled conjunctival lacrimal duct reconstruction in the treatment of severe obstruction of superior and inferior lacrimal canaliculi with conjunctivochalasis.METHODS:This study was per formed as a retrospective analysis of patients who received conjunctival dacryocystorhinostomy with pedicled conjunctival flap reconstruction combined with tube intubation due to severe superior and inferior lacrimal canalicular obstruction with conjunctivochalasis from January 2019 to October 2019.The clinical data included the degree of preoperative epiphora and postoperative relief,preoperative examination of lacrimal duct computed tomography and ultrasound biomicroscopy,postoperative evaluation of lacrimal duct function by chloramphenicol taste and fluorescein dye disappearance test,etc.Syringing was carried out to determine the reconstruction and patency of the lacrimal duct.RESULTS:All 9 patients(9 eyes)had severe canalicular obstruction with conjunctivochalasis.The patients included 4 males and 5 females aged between 47–65y with an average age of 52.2±6.7y.At 3mo follow-up,the tube was removed and the patients were followed for a further 3mo.After tube removal,6 patients showed no epiphora.These patients also had positive chloramphenicol tastes and normal fluorescein dye disappearance test results.Two patientshad epiphora.Also,syringing showed partial patency of the reconstructed lacrimal duct.One patient had no improvement in epiphora with negative chloramphenicol taste and fluorescein dye disappearance test results and obstruction of the reconstructed lacrimal duct.The total effective rate of the operation was 8/9,with no serious complications.CONCLUSION:Pedicled conjunctival lacrimal duct reconstruction conjunctival dacryocystorhinostomy is safe and effective for superior and inferior canalicular obstruction with conjunctivochalasis.

Clinical observation of removal of the necrotic corneal tissue combined with conjunctival flap covering surgery under the guidance of the AS-OCT in treatment of fungal keratitis

AIM: To study the clinical observation of removal of the necrotic corneal tissue combined with conjunctival flap covering surgery under the guidance of the AS-OCT in treatment of fungal keratitis. METHODS:A retrospective study was done to 10 patients (10 eyes) who had accepted removal of the necrotic corneal tissue combined with conjunctival flap covering surgery for fungal keratitis,the diagnosis by corneal scraping and smear examination or confocal microscopy check hyphae. Local and systemic antifungal therapy more than one week for all patients, corneal ulcer enlarge or no shrink. Slit lamp microscope examination the diameter of corneal ulcer about 2mm-4mm. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT)examine the depth of corneal ulcer between 1/3-1/2, infiltrate corneal stroma about 20um-80um,the diameter of corneal ulcer about 3mm-6mm.Type-B ultrasonic exclusion endophthalmitis. Complete removal lesions until transparent of stoma, make conjunctival flap equal or greater than ulcer 1mm nearby conjunctiva. Continued antifungal therapy. The vision, fungal recurrence, conjunctival flap rollback or desquamate were analysed. ' RESULTS:Ten patients had success done this surgery, the corneal ulcer was not enlarge and healing afteroperation. 7 cases were bridging conjunctival flap and 3cases were single conjunctival flap. Preoperation vision above 0.1 had 8 cases,7 cases had vision above 0.1 one week after surgery, while 1 cases vision droped from 0.3 to 0.05.There was not recurrent for fungal,2 cases conjunctival flap rollback:1 case was bridging and 1case was single flap, no conjunctival flap desquamate. CONCLUSION: It is safe and effective to perform removal of the necrotic corneal tissue combined with conjunctival flap covering surgery under the guidance of the AS-OCT in treatment of fungal keratitis which werenot sensitive or aggravate for antifungal drugs.

Conjunctival flap with auricular cartilage grafting: a modified Hughes procedure for large full thickness upper and lower eyelid defect reconstruction

AIM:To investigate the suitability of a modified Hughes procedure,which consists of conjunctival flap with auricular cartilage grafting in reconstructing large full thickness upper and lower eyelid defect.METHODS:Patients with full thickness eyelid carcinoma involving more than 50%margin length who underwent surgical resection were retrospectively reviewed in the study.The defects were reconstructed using conjunctival flap with auricular cartilage grafting,covered with myocutaneous flap above.Followed-up time ranged from 12 to 24 mo.Outcomes were classified as“good”,“fair”,and“poor”by evaluating the margin appearance,eyelid appearance,and complications.RESULTS:A total of 42 patients were enrolled in the study(26 males,16 females,mean age,68.6±7.7 y,range:53 to 82 y).The mean defect widths measured 23.2±2.9 mm(range,17 to 28 mm).The mean posterior lamellar defect height was 5.5±1.3 mm(4 to 8 mm).Thirty-seven patients had a“good”outcome(88.1%),5 patients had a“fair”outcome(11.9%),and no one had a“poor”outcome.CONCLUSION:Conjunctival flap with auricular cartilage grafting and myocutaneous flap grafting is an effective procedure in reconstructing large full thickness upper and lower eyelid defect.It can not only achieve satisfied reconstruction,but also preserve intact tarsal plate of the opposite eyelid,avoiding retraction or entropion.

Efficacy of autologous conjunctival flap on repairing the late-onset filtering bleb leakage

AIM： To evaluate the effectiveness of autologous conjunctival flap surgery for repairing the late-onset filtering bleb leakage after trabeculectomy.METHODS： This study retrospectively reviewed 106 eyes from 106 patients with late-onset filtering bleb leakage after trabeculectomy who received autologous conjunctival flap surgery at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre from 2005 to 2015. The basic information was recorded, and the interval time between trabeculectomy and autologous conjunctival flap surgery as well as related risk factors, intraocular pressure（IOP）, anterior chamber depth（ACD） and best corrected visual acuity（BCVA） were analysed. Moreover, 41 patients who completed the 1-year follow up were analysed to determine the IOP and BCVA changes and long-term success rates.RESULTS： The 50 male and 56 female subjects（average age 39.13±17.96 y） included 47（44.34%） and 33（31.13%） cases of primary open angle and primary angle-closure glaucoma. The mean interval between trabeculectomy and repair surgery was 60.60±56.92（3-264）mo. The mean mitomycin（MMC） concentration during trabeculectomy was 0.27±0.04（0.12-0.4） mg/m L in the fornix-based conjunctival flap group（68 patients） and 0.28±0.04（0.20-0.33） mg/m L in the limbal-based conjunctival flap group（11 patients）. After bleb leakage, the patients＇ vision remained stable while the IOP decreased from 10.25±4.76（3-20.86） to 9.44±4.33（2-21） mm Hg（P〈0.01）. In the 41 analysed patients, the IOP was controlled at 15.68±5.11（7-40） mm Hg in the 1^（st） year after autologous conjunctival flap surgery and recurrence was not observed, for a long-term success rate of 100%. CONCLUSION： Autologous conjunctival flap repairing surgery is an effective technique for sealing filtering bleb leakages and controlling IOP postoperatively.

Conjunctival flap cover surgery:10-year review

Background:To evaluate the conjunctival flap cover surgery for the treatment of ocular surface disorders.Methods:Retrospective uncontrolled study was performed.A total of 253 eyes of 253 patients who had received conjunctival flap cover surgery during a 10-year period were included.The indications,symptoms and complications experienced by patients undergoing partial or total conjunctival flap cover surgery were reviewed.Results:In all of these cases,satisfactory anatomic and functional outcomes were achieved.The BCVA of 224 eyes out of 253 patients(88.5%)were no worse than that of preoperative and the BCVA of 29 eyes out of 253 patients(11.5%)decreased postoperatively.No eye pain,foreign body sensation and other discomforts presented in the last visit.The surgical indications was therapeutic for 138 out of 253 patients(54.5%),aesthetic for 63 eyes out of 253 patients(24.9%),tectonic for 45 eyes out of 253 patients(17.8%),and analgesic for 7 eyes out of 253 patients(2.8%).The primary diagnose of therapeutic indications is refractory corneal ulcer for 135 eyes out of 253 patients(53.4%).The main diagnose of aesthetic indications is atrophy of eyeball for 45 eyes out of 253 patients(17.8%)and corneal leukoma for 18 eyes out of 253 patients(7.1%).The principal diagnose of tectonic indications is corneal perforation for 43 eyes out of 253 patients(17%).The main intraoperative complications is buttonhole formation for 8 eyes out of 253 patients(3.2%),which can be handled by simple suture.The most severe complications postoperatively was conjunctival flaps dissolving and corneal perforation for 3 eyes out of 253 patients(1.2%),and corneal transplantation had to be performed to avoid enucleation.In addition,4 eyes out of 253 patients(1.6%)presented cystic flap and two of them received surgical excision.Conclusions:Conjunctival flap cover surgery is an underused technique.Its primary indication is refractory corneal ulcer and corneal perforation,and its second indication is aesthetic with poor visual potential coexisting ocular surface diseases.It represents an interesting alternative to more mutilating surgeries.

Allogeneic sclera graft combined autologous conjunctival flap for repairing the emergent corneal perforation

To report a palliative and alternative surgical procedure, allogeneic sclera graft combined with autologous conjunctival flap (ASGACF), employing to repair the large emergent corneal perforation. The detail protocol of the surgical procedure was characterized and four representative cases were reviewed. An allogeneic sclera graft and recipient bed were prepared as the traditional penetrating keratoplasty (PK). And then sutured the sclera graft to the bed with 10-0 nylon suture and covered with a pedicled autologous conjunctival flap in half size. In the follow-up, the ASGACF repaired all of the corneal perforations and restored the integral walls of eyeballs, in spite of one who underwent a second surgery. This surgical procedure provided a palliative method to repair the large emergent corneal perforation while there is the lack of a corneal graft.

Conjunctival flaps for the treatment of advanced ocular surface disease—looking back and beyond

Conjunctival flaps have previously proven to be effective in preserving the globe for individuals with severe ocular surface disease.Infectious keratitis,neurotrophic keratitis,nontraumatic corneal melts,descemetoceles,perforations,and corneal burns are all indications for this procedure.The flaps promote nutrition,metabolism,structure,and vascularity,as well as reduce pain,irritation,inflammation,and infection.Furthermore,patients avoid the emotional and psychological repercussions of enucleation or evisceration,while requiring fewer postoperative medications and office visits.Currently,fewer flaps are performed due to the emergence of additional therapeutic techniques,such as serum tears,bandage lenses,corneal grafting,Oxervate,amniotic membrane,and umbilical cord grafting.However,despite newer conservative medical methods,conjunctival flaps have been demonstrated to be useful and advantageous.Moreover,future technologies and approaches for globe preservation and sight restoration after prior conjunctival flaps are anticipated.Herein,we review the history,advantages,and disadvantages of various surgical techniques:Gundersen’s bipedicle flap,partial limbal advancement flap,selective pedunculated conjunctival flap with or without Tenon’s capsule,and Mekonnen’s modified inferior palpebral-bulbar conjunctival flap.The surgical pearls and recommendations offered by the innovators are also reviewed,including restrictions and potential complications.Procedures for visual rehabilitation in selective cases after conjunctival flap are reviewed as well.