Multilayered Gore-Tex patch for temporary coverage of deep noninfectious XXXX : surgical procedure and clinical experience.

@entity1 @entity267 @entity735 @entity1200 @entity2687 @entity792
PURPOSE: To evaluate the multilayer Gore-Tex patch as temporary coverage of deep, noninfectious @entity2687 . DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional case series. METHODS:                 <AbstractText Label="SETTING" NlmCategory="METHODS">University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany. @entity1 POPULATION: Thirty-nine eyes of 38 @entity1 with noninfectious, deep @entity2687 . Underlying disorders included @entity1200 in 37 eyes (94.9%) and @entity735 (5.1%). Intervention procedures: Corneal defects were covered with multiple Gore-Tex layers, of which the uppermost was sutured to the @entity267 . The Gore-Tex patch was kept in place until an appropriate corneal transplant was obtained and effective systemic immunosuppression was initiated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Long-term preservation of the eye, frequency of resuturing of the Gore-Tex patch, and best-corrected visual acuity. RESULTS: In 38 cases, the eye could be preserved. In 10 eyes, additional sutures were required. Before surgery, the mean best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR) was 1.14    0.45 (20/250), and that at final follow-up was 1.13    0.41 (20/250). The Gore-Tex patch remained in place 4 days to 32 months (mean, 6.4    8.3 months) until corneal transplantation (27 eyes) or until an alternative way of defect coverage could be performed. Three eyes did not require further coverage after explantation of the Gore-Tex patch. In 6 eyes, either the Gore-Tex patch was kept in place or the @entity1 died. CONCLUSIONS: Temporary coverage of deep @entity2687 with multilayer Gore-Tex patches allows time until an appropriate corneal transplant is obtained. The technique is particularly useful in @entity1 with underlying @entity792 , because an effective systemic immunosuppression can be initiated before corneal transplantation.
