A technique to harvet Decemet’ membrane with viable endothelial cell for elective tranplantation

Purpoe To decribe a urgical technique uing an artificial anterior chamber to facilitate harvet of Decemet’ membrane (DM) and endothelium for corneal endothelial cell tranplantation. Deign Laboratory invetigation. Method Corneocleral button of even human donor eye were mounted endothelial ide up on an artificial anterior chamber. Keeping the endothelial ide with it uual concavity, a manual trephination wa made on the poterior urface with a 9.0-mm trephine, inide the chwalbe line and jut pat the DM in depth. The chamber wa filled with air, cauing the endothelial ide of the donor cornea to aume a convex configuration. The DM along with it endothelium wa eparated from the poterior troma uing a blunt cyclodialyi patula. Drop of trypan blue 0.3% and alizarin red 0.2% (n = 6) were applied. The tained DM were examined under a light microcope and photographed to calculate the percentage of endothelial cell damage. Hitology wa done on the untained cornea. Reult The DM carrying endothelium wa uccefully removed from the poterior troma in all even eye. Although the DM appear to be very friable, all ample were removed in toto without rupture. Vital taining howed a mean endothelial cell lo of 8.46% (tandard deviation (D) 6.9). Direct light microcopy demontrated the preervation of endothelial cell morphology. Concluion Thi technique appear to be a afe and traightforward method to harvet DM for endothelial cell tranplantation. Further tudie are underway to determine the optimal method of inertion of the obtained healthy DM with endothelial cell through mall corneal inciion