[Penetrating keratoplasty in high-risk children: prevention of graft rejection].

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of prolonged courses of systemically administered subtherapeutic Metipred and cyclosporine in prevention of graft rejection in high-risk children.

Material And Methods: The study included 27 children at high risk of graft rejection due to re-keratoplasty (n = 8), limbo-keratoplasty for corneal staphyloma (n = 4), or transplantation into vascularized corneal bed (n = 15). All patients were divided into two groups--the study group (n =11) and the control group (n = 16).

[Keratoconus in children with retinopathy of prematurity (clinical cases)].

2 cases of keratoconus in children with retinopathy of prematurity (RP) developed in eyes with severe retinal scarring as an outcome of RP, but initially clear cornea and normal anterior chamber depth. In one case keratoconus was acute and resulted in visual loss in the only seeing eye and required surgical treatment. In another case kertoconus developed in the eye with residual light perception, had no subjective symptoms, was not acute and was stabilized using nonsurgical treatment.

[Congenital corneal staphylomas in children].

Clinical manifestation, results and outcomes of surgical treatment were studied in children with very rare anomaly of cornea and anterior segment. Symptoms and signs, histological findings are described in details, results of ophthalmoscopy, ultrasound biomicroscopy and maternal ophthalmotrophic infections are studied in children with corneal staphylomas.

[Experience in penetrating keratoplasty in children: graft survival, functional results and risk factors].

Penetrating keratoplasty in children is related with a labor-consuming process of follow-up and care as well as with a high risk of graft rejection and a moderate vision improvement. Nonetheless, keratoplasty has been and still remains a surgery of choice due to a lack of an alternative procedure; its technique and results have been gradually promoted in practice. The authors analyzed 112 keratoplasties in childhood-age corneal opacifications of different types.

[Postoperative complications of penetrating subtotal keratoplasty in children].

Accordingly to experience of corneal transplantations during 1981-2001 in the children's clinic of the Helmholz Moscow Research Institute of Ocular Diseases the authors present the clinical picture, rate, prognostic value and modes of correction of postoperative complications after keratoplasty. A retrospective study analyzed the incidence of complications after 94 penetrating keratoplasties performed in 82 children aged from 10 months to 14 years in 89 eyes for congenital corneal opacity (n = 22) or corneal opacity caused by trauma (n = 40) or inflammation (n = 20). 60 (73%) within 1 year after operation developed different reactions and complications due to transplant failure in 41 (44%) cases.

[Results of optic reconstructive interventions in children with ocular injuries].

Optic reconstructive interventions were carried out in 36 children with ocular injuries aged 3-14 years. Perforating keratoplasty was combined with measures aimed at repair of the normal anatomic status of the eye and the transparency of its optic media. Microsurgical interventions were performed for penetrating corneal wounds in 27 cases, for penetrating corneoscleral injuries in 8, and for eye contusion in 1 case.