Pediatric Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty

center dot PURPOSE: To report the technique and outcome of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in pediatric patients older than 6 years of age. center dot DESIGN: Institutional interventional retrospective case series. center dot METHODS: This study included 5 eyes of patients less than 15 years of age with endothelial dysfunction who underwent DMEK. Three eyes had Descemet stripping done of the same size as the donor graft. Two eyes underwent non-Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty. Attachment of DMEK scroll and improvement in corneal clarity, vision, pachymetry, and intraoperative or postoperative complication was noted. We defined primary graft failure as nonclearing corneal edema despite a well attached lenticule on anterior segment optical coherence tomography. center dot RESULTS: A total of 5 eyes of 5 children (all male) with a mean (+/- standard deviation) age of 9.2 +/- 3.42 years underwent DMEK. The mean preoperative visual acuity of 1.93 +/- 0.25 logMAR units improved postoperatively to 0.98 +/- 0.29 (95% confidence interval, P = .03). Anatomic success (well-attached scroll with a more transparent cornea with a decrease in pachymetry) was seen in 4 of 5 eyes (80%). One eye had a primary donor failure. Two out of the 5 eyes (40%) required rebubbling. The mean pachymetry in eyes with successful procedure reduced from 1094.5 +/- 101.5 & micro;m to 619.25 +/- 150.3 & micro;m ( P = .03). center dot CONCLUSIONS: Although DMEK in pediatric eyes is challenging, the early results are encouraging, and it is a viable option in pediatric patients with endothelial failure. (Am J Ophthalmol 2021;227: 12-17. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier Inc.)