No Light Perception Outcomes Following Boston Keratoprosthesis Type 1 Surgery

Am J Ophthalmol. 2017 Sep:181:46-54. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2017.06.012. Epub 2017 Jun 27.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the incidence rate, principal causes, and clinical course of eyes developing no light perception (NLP) visual acuity (VA) following Boston Keratoprosthesis (B-KPro) type 1 surgery. Secondary objectives include determining the incidence rate, relative risk (RR), and survival probability with respect to NLP outcomes among eyes with congenital aniridia.

Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.

Subjects: All patients undergoing B-KPro type 1 surgery between October 2008 and June 2016 by a single surgeon at CHUM - Hôpital Notre-Dame.

Methods: Records of patients having undergone B-KPro implantation were reviewed. Eyes with a final outcome of NLP were further reviewed to determine best recorded postoperative VA, time to NLP onset, clinical course, and principal cause. Descriptive statistics, incidence rates, Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and the RR of NLP outcomes among eyes with aniridia were determined. Statistical significance was defined as P < .05.

Results: Records of 119 patients were included, with an average follow-up of 49.1 ± 26.8 months postoperatively. Nineteen eyes had a final outcome of NLP, representing 16.0%. The incidence rate of NLP was 0.04 cases per eye-year of follow-up. The most common principal causes were inoperable retinal detachment (n = 7, 36.8%), terminal glaucoma (n = 6, 31.6%), and carrier graft melt-related complications (n = 5, 26.3%). The RR of developing NLP among eyes with aniridia was 3.04 (P = .01).

Conclusions: No light perception is a devastating but uncommon outcome of B-KPro surgery. Patients with aniridia seem to be at increased risk. In spite of all available medical and surgical interventions, some eyes may still suffer this outcome.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aniridia / complications
  • Artificial Organs / adverse effects*
  • Blindness / epidemiology*
  • Blindness / etiology
  • Cornea*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Glaucoma / complications
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prostheses and Implants / adverse effects*
  • Prosthesis Implantation / adverse effects*
  • Retinal Detachment / complications
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Visual Acuity / physiology