Surgical management of a calzone-like posttraumatic infolding of a 10-year-old LASIK flap

Abstract

Introduction: The popularity of femtosecond laser–assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) has increased, but flap-related complications such as trauma and possibility of displacement, even years after surgery with complications such as striae, diffuse lamellar keratitis, and epithelial ingrowth, may still be challenging. Patient and Clinical Findings: A 45-year-old woman was referred a week after trauma and flap displacement on a 10-year-long myopic LASIK correction. Corrected distance visual acuity was 20/30 (0, −2.25 at 35 degrees) due to epithelial ingrowth involving the visual axis. The external third of the flap was rolled inward (calzone-like), exposing the underlying edematous stroma associated with dense fibrosis at the level of the roll. Diagnosis, Intervention and Outcomes: Emergency flap surgical revision was performed using a technique of mechanical debridement and a 20% alcohol-dipped sponge application to help with epithelial cells lysis, and fibrin glue was applied on the flap. Uncorrected distance visual acuity was restored and examination revealed a stable, well-apposed flap, without epithelial cell ingrowth, and an otherwise unremarkable examination. Conclusions: This study showed the 10-month-efficacy of a combined approach of mechanical debridement, ethanol-based cell lysis, and fibrin glue in traumatic 10-year-old-flap management with infolding or invagination and extensive epithelial ingrowth.