Outcomes of Corneal Transplantation After Minimally Invasive Corneal Neurotization in Children.

Purpose: To describe the outcomes of corneal transplantation after minimally invasive corneal neurotization (MICN) in pediatric patients.

Methods: Medical records of all children who underwent corneal transplantation post-MICN with sural nerve graft for neurotrophic keratopathy between 2015 and 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Data collected included demographic information, ocular comorbidities, maximum corneal sensitivity by Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer (CBA) preoperatively and postoperatively measured in the central graft area, graft survival (primary outcome), and rejection.

Results: Of 28 eyes which underwent MICN, six underwent corneal transplant surgery (mean age 11.9 ± 4.4 years) 2.4 ± 0.4 years after initial surgery. Mean maximum recorded CBA across all quadrants before corneal transplantation was 53.3 ± 9.4 mm. Reepithelialization was observed in all eyes by postoperative month 2. Mean follow-up was 4.5 ± 2.1 years. Penetrating keratoplasty was performed in 2 cases, and deep anterior keratoplasty in four cases. Graft survival at final follow-up was 83.3%. Mean recorded central CBA after corneal transplantation was 53.8 ± 8.2 mm. No improvement was observed in visual acuity from baseline (1.2 ± 0.4 logMAR) to final postoperative follow-up (1.1 ± 0.4 logMAR; P = 0.68).

Conclusions: Corneal transplantation after corneal neurotization has survival rates >80%. Manual deep anterior keratoplasty can be performed in patients who have not undergone previous penetrating keratoplasty. Despite graft clarity, improvement in best-corrected visual acuity may be limited by amblyopia in this age group.