Results of using biocoating by means of the amniotic sac. Communication 1. Keratoplasty with graft biocoating

: To protect a corneal graft at keratoplasty from tear moisture hyperhydration of the de-epithelized surface and from the negative exposure to contact with the eyelid mucosa in order to enhance surgical efficiency, the authors have developed a few biocoating technologies that involve amnionic sac placement on the graft, with its fixation on the eye of a recipient, by applying a full-thickness and layered corneal disc autologous flap or a ring-shaped allogenic corneoscleral one. Fifty-two patients (55 eyes) with primary (n=5) and secondary (n=33) corneal dystrophy and leukomas (n=14) were operated on. Penetrating keratoplasty and layer-by-layer grafting were performed in 38 (40 eyes) and 14 (15 eyes) patients, respectively. The biocoat was removed from the graft following 5-7 days; by that time complete epithelization of its anterior surface occurred in the majority of patients. After penetrating keratoplasty and layer-by-layer grafting, there was a transparent engraftment in 92.5 and 93.3% of patients, respectively. Visual acuity up to 0.2-0.6 restored in 74.5% of patients.