A New Surgical Technique to Deliver Riboflavin Beneath Corneal Epithelium: The Corneal Cross-Linking Epi-Pocket

Davide Borroni (Corresponding Author), Chiara Bonzano, Rozaliya Hristova, José María Sánchez González, Flavia Pennisi, Aurelio Rocha-Bogas, Carlos Rocha de Lossada

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    5 Citations (Scopus)
    10 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    PURPOSE: To describe a new technique to deliver riboflavin into the corneal stroma during Corneal Cross-Linking (CXL) without the removal of corneal epithelium. METHODS: Keratoconus patients underwent CXL for progressive keratoconus. Riboflavin was delivered by manually creating an epithelial pocket (CXL Epi-Pocket). Verbal rating scale was recorded postoperatively. Best-corrected visual acuity, keratometric indices, corneal thickness and corneal densitometry were recorded at baseline and at 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Eighteen eyes of 18 patients were included in the study. At a 12-month follow-up, best-corrected visual acuity, K1, K2 and densitometry values were stable. Maximum keratometry (Kmax) reduced from 55.31 ± 6.21 (SD) to 52.34d ± 4.12d (SD) (P value = 0.032). the thinnest point went from 441 ± 21.18 (SD) to 425.4 ± 19.02 (SD) um (P value = 0.041). The verbal rating scale at 1, 2 and 3 days postoperatively were 1.76 ± 0.19 (SD), 1.02 ± 0.51 (SD) and 0.28 ± 0.14 (SD). CONCLUSIONS: CXL Epi-Pocket is able to deliver riboflavin to halt the progression of keratoconus at a 12-month follow-up.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)495-498
    Number of pages4
    JournalAsia-Pacific journal of ophthalmology (Philadelphia, Pa.)
    Volume10
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 14 Sept 2021

    Keywords*

    • corneal epithelium
    • corneal cross-linking epi-pocket
    • keratoconus
    • riboflavin

    Field of Science*

    • 3.2 Clinical medicine

    Publication Type*

    • 1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database

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