Vol. 47 No. 2 Case Report PDF

Descemet’s Membrane Detachment in a Corneal Graft After Removal of a Baerveldt Shunt Intraluminal Stent

Karlo Marco DR. Claudio, MD1,2
Rainier Victor A. Covar, MD, MMed1,2
Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD1,3
Patricia Anne C. Concepcion, MD1,4

1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines, Manila
2Department of Ophthalmology, Rizal Medical Center, Pasig City
3Eye Institute, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City
4Department of Ophthalmology, Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, San Fernando, La Union

Corresponding Author: Karlo Marco DR. Claudio, MD
Clinic Address: Rizal Medical Center, Pasig Boulevard, Pasig City
Contact Number: 0932-9738124
Email Address: mackyclaudio@yahoo.com

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest or financial disclosures.

ABSTRACT

Objective: We reported a case of Descemet’s membrane detachment (DMD) following ripcord removal of a Baerveldt shunt in a post-corneal transplant eye, and the interventions done.

Method: This is a case report.

Results: A 65-year-old male with multiple surgeries (phacoemulsification, two corneal transplants, and Baerveldt shunt implantation) in the right eye developed increased intraocular pressures, prompting removal of the intraluminal stent (ripcord) of the shunt. This was complicated by hypotony and DMD. Ripcord reinsertion and viscoelastic injection were performed to reattach the Descemet’s membrane (DM) but failed. 0.1mL of 14% perfluoropropane (C3F8) gas was injected into the anterior chamber that successfully reattached the DM with return to pre-operative best-corrected visual acuity after 1 week.

Conclusion: Injection of an expansive gas (C3F8) was effective in repairing a corneal graft DMD in an eye with a Baerveldt shunt.

Keywords: Descemet’s membrane detachment, corneal transplant, Baerveldt