Epithelial ingrowth after Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty

Purpose: To report the diagnosis and treatment of a patient who developed epithelial ingrowth after Descemet-stnpping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). Methods: We describe the case of an 80-year-old woman who underwent DSAEK for pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. After surgery, the patient underwent 2 additional rebubbling procedures for recurrent donor lenticule dislocation. She was subsequently found to have an enlarging interface epithelial ingrowth that led to graft failure. Results: After donor lenticule exchange, mechanical scraping, and irrigation-aspiration of residual epithelial cells, there was no evidence of the histologically confirmed epithelial ingrowth during a 2-year follow-up interval. Conclusions: This 1 case report suggests that epithelial ingrowth may occur after DSAEK. This case was successfully treated surgically.