AlphaCor™ cases : comparative outcomes

Purpose: To describe clinical outcomes after a novel type of corneal surgery, implantation of an artificial cornea, AlphaCor, and to evaluate outcomes in comparison with alternative keratoprostheses and high-risk grafts. Methods: Case reports and data from a noncontrolled clinical trial and a literature review. Results: The probability of AlphaCor retention to 1 year is 80%. Postoperative best corrected visual acuity ranges from Perception Light to 20/30. The most significant complications are stromal melts and optic depositions, for both of which the main risk factors have been identified. Complications can be managed without loss of the eye. Conclusion: Results from the clinical trial period have helped to determine the indications and risk factors for AlphaCor surgery and to refine surgical techniques. Continued monitoring of outcomes as the series increases will allow a more accurate determination of comparative outcomes. The series provides preliminary evidence that AlphaCor may have a lower incidence of complications than traditional keratoprostheses and may prove to be preferable to a donor graft in high-risk cases.