Changes Of Corneal Biomechanics Post Dmek Surgery In Fecd Patients Shortened Title: Corneal Biomechanics Of Fecd After Dmek

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a most common corneal endothelial dystrophy. Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) is currently a standard surgical treatment to restore corneal endothelium in FECD patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate change of corneal biomechanical parameters using dynamic Scheimpflug analyzer before vs after DMEK surgery at 1, 3, 6 months in patients with FECD.

King Chulalongkorn Memorial hospital, Bangkok, Thailand  

A cross-sectional study of twenty-four patients with FECD were recruited. Demographic data, VA, IOP, CCT, and 12 corneal biomechanical parameters which were A1 Length (mm), A1 velocity (m/s), A2 length (mm), A2 velocity (m/s), peak distance (mm), A1 deflection amp (mm), deflection amp max (mm), max inverse radius (mm-1), DA ratio (mm), integrated radius (mm-1), ARTh, SPA1 (mmHg/mm) were collected before and after DMEK at 1, 3, 6 months. All operations were performed by same surgeons. Repeated ANOVA and Pairwise correlation were used to evaluate the differences.

CCT, A1 length, deflection amplitude, ARTh, SPA1 were found statistically significant decreased between each visit. Max inverse radius, DA ratio, integrated radius was found statistically significant increased between each visit. Overall parameters demonstrated significant biomechanical change post DMEK from 1 to 6 months post-operative.

Cornea post DMEK surgery was thinner as expected. Changes of other corneal biomechanical parameters demonstrated that cornea post DMEK was less stiffness. These findings could be applied to be used in monitoring FECD severity and the recovery of the cornea after DMEK surgery.