Splitting of the Recipient's Descemet Membrane in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty-Ultrastructure and Clinical Relevance.

Corneas with Fuchs‘ dystrophy at risk factor for lamellar splitting during DMEK

Eyes with Fuchs’s endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) appear to be at an elevated risk for lamellar splitting of Descemet’s membrane splitting during Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) procedures, the findings of a new study indicate. It showed that one in 10 eyes of 664 eyes that had undergone DMEK had Descemet’s membrane splitting. Using electron microscopy, the study’s authors also found that there were accumulations of banded and wide-spaced collagen between the thicker posterior banded layer and the thin anterior banded layer at the borderline between anterior and posterior layers of Descemet’s membrane where the lamellar splitting occurred.