Cytomegalovirus Corneal Endotheliitis After Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty. 2019

Tien-En Tan, and Donald Tiang Hwee Tan
Corneal and External Eye Disease Department, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore.

OBJECTIVE To describe 4 cases of cytomegalovirus (CMV) corneal endotheliitis occurring after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). METHODS This is a retrospective, interventional case series. Case records of 4 patients (one eye each) diagnosed with CMV corneal endotheliitis after DMEK were reviewed retrospectively. Presenting clinical features, treatment, and outcomes were examined. RESULTS Patients' age ranged from 68 to 77 years. Three patients underwent DMEK for failed corneal grafts and 1 for pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Time from DMEK to presentation ranged from 5 to 15 weeks. Presenting features included corneal edema, pigmented keratic precipitates, mild anterior chamber inflammation, and raised intraocular pressure. Two cases were initially misdiagnosed as graft rejection and treated with corticosteroids. Both worsened, and delayed diagnoses of CMV corneal endotheliitis were made. The two other cases were diagnosed correctly at initial presentation. All cases were confirmed by anterior chamber paracentesis and polymerase chain reaction testing for CMV. All cases were treated initially with topical ganciclovir gel and oral valganciclovir. Three cases showed clinical resolution. Final corrected visual acuity ranged from 20/25 to 20/40. One case failed to respond to topical ganciclovir gel, oral valganciclovir, and intravenous ganciclovir and foscarnet. This patient declined further systemic treatment and was maintained on topical ganciclovir only but subsequently showed spontaneous resolution 3 months later. CONCLUSIONS CMV corneal endotheliitis may occur after DMEK and can closely mimic graft rejection. Polymerase chain reaction testing of aqueous humor is advised for suspect cases. A high index of suspicion is important for prompt diagnosis and initiation of appropriate antiviral treatment.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D011183 Postoperative Complications Pathologic processes that affect patients after a surgical procedure. They may or may not be related to the disease for which the surgery was done, and they may or may not be direct results of the surgery. Complication, Postoperative,Complications, Postoperative,Postoperative Complication
D003316 Corneal Diseases Diseases of the cornea. Corneal Disease,Disease, Corneal,Diseases, Corneal
D003586 Cytomegalovirus Infections Infection with CYTOMEGALOVIRUS, characterized by enlarged cells bearing intranuclear inclusions. Infection may be in almost any organ, but the salivary glands are the most common site in children, as are the lungs in adults. CMV Inclusion,CMV Inclusions,Congenital CMV Infection,Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection,Cytomegalic Inclusion Disease,Cytomegalovirus Colitis,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion Disease,Cytomegalovirus Inclusions,Inclusion Disease,Perinatal CMV Infection,Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infection,Renal Tubular Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Renal Tubular Cytomegalovirus Inclusions,Salivary Gland Virus Disease,Severe Cytomegalovirus Infection,Severe Cytomegalovirus Infections,Infections, Cytomegalovirus,CMV Infection, Congenital,CMV Infection, Perinatal,Colitis, Cytomegalovirus,Congenital CMV Infections,Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infections,Cytomegalic Inclusion Diseases,Cytomegalovirus Colitides,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion Diseases,Cytomegalovirus Infection,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Congenital,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Perinatal,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Severe,Cytomegalovirus Infections, Severe,Disease, Cytomegalic Inclusion,Disease, Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Diseases, Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Inclusion Disease, Cytomegalic,Inclusion Disease, Cytomegalovirus,Inclusion Diseases,Inclusion Diseases, Cytomegalovirus,Inclusion, CMV,Inclusion, Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Congenital CMV,Infection, Congenital Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Perinatal CMV,Infection, Perinatal Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Severe Cytomegalovirus,Perinatal CMV Infections,Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infections
D003587 Cytomegalovirus A genus of the family HERPESVIRIDAE, subfamily BETAHERPESVIRINAE, infecting the salivary glands, liver, spleen, lungs, eyes, and other organs, in which they produce characteristically enlarged cells with intranuclear inclusions. Infection with Cytomegalovirus is also seen as an opportunistic infection in AIDS. Herpesvirus 5, Human,Human Herpesvirus 5,Salivary Gland Viruses,HHV 5,Herpesvirus 5 (beta), Human,Cytomegaloviruses,Salivary Gland Virus,Virus, Salivary Gland,Viruses, Salivary Gland
D004728 Endothelium, Corneal Single layer of large flattened cells covering the surface of the cornea. Anterior Chamber Epithelium,Corneal Endothelium,Endothelium, Anterior Chamber,Epithelium, Anterior Chamber,Anterior Chamber Endothelium
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective

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