This present study concluded that the surgical access and visibility was immensely improved by following the anaesthetic and surgeon factors in conjunction with algorithms described for uneventful oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures. Further, this has also substantially minimized the influence of the 'route of intubation' on 'surgical technique' and vice versa.

Purpose: To compare corneal endothelial damage associated with 2 techniques for preloaded Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK): a tri-folded graft stored in a plastic cartridge designed for DMEK and a scrolled graft stored in a modified Jones Tube, at the time of preparation and after shipping. Methods: DMEK grafts were prepared at the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank. The grafts were either tri-folded and loaded in a plastic cartridge or scrolled and loaded into a modified Jones Tube. In each group, the grafts were then either immediately removed from the cartridges or shipped for 48 hours. The grafts were then stained with Calcein AM and imaged using a fluorescent microscope. Endothelial cell loss (ECL) was determined using trainable segmentation in Fiji by 2 graders. At each time point, rates of ECL loss were compared across the 2 groups. To explore the role of donor characteristics, a multivariable regression model was produced to account for method (tri-folding vs. scroll), donor age, donor gender, death-to-preservation time, death-to-preparation time, and shipping. Results: A total of 40 grafts were prepared, processed, imaged, and analyzed. No significant difference in cell loss was seen between groups at either time point alone. In the multivariate model, no significant increase in cell loss was associated with either tri-folding (3.7% less ECL; P = 0.051) or shipping (4.3% less ECL; P = 0.049). Conclusions: All techniques used resulted in clinically acceptable levels of ECL. Tri-folded tissue in a plastic cartridge did not result in ECL inferior to a scroll when prepared either immediately or preloaded for 48 hours.

Despite additional manipulation of the graft, trifolding of Descemet membrane and endothelium may be performed by an eye bank technician without significantly increased cell loss relative to graft preparation as a scroll.

Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is the most efficacious partial endothelial keratoplasty, offering the highest likelihood of 20/20 vision and the shortest recovery times. However, current devices do not effectively address the difficult step of unrolling the corneal graft within the eye which is the greatest barrier to DMEK adoption. Here, we present the design, development, and testing of a novel device that simplifies and standardizes DMEK graft transplantation. The patent-pending cartridge facilitates the trifold technique, a graft preparation method that allows the graft to naturally unroll in the eye and reduces time-consuming manipulation steps required in alternative techniques. Injection molding was used to manufacture devices which were tested with research-grade corneal grafts. The cartridge's design allows it to fit into a typical corneoscleral incision, maintains trifolded grafts (p = 0.006), and reduces endothelial cell loss (ECL) (p = 0.049). These results demonstrate that the device introduced here is suitable for DMEK and may simplify this procedure for corneal surgeons.