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Superficial keratectomy for chronic corneal ulcers refractory to medical treatment in 36 cats
Author(s) -
Jégou JeanPierre,
Tromeur Florence
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
veterinary ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.594
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1463-5224
pISSN - 1463-5216
DOI - 10.1111/vop.12153
Subject(s) - medicine , cats , refractory (planetary science) , cornea , surgery , corneal ulceration , keratitis , ophthalmology , retrospective cohort study , corneal ulcer , physics , astrobiology
Abstract Objective To review the outcome of a case series in which superficial keratectomy was used as a treatment for chronic corneal ulceration. Study design Retrospective study Animals studied Thirty‐six cats (41 eyes) with ulcerative keratitis. Results Forty‐one superficial lamellar keratectomies were performed. Thirty‐two and a half percent (32.5%) of the ulcers were resolved within 2 weeks and 85% within 4 weeks after surgery. Nonhealing surgical cases after 4 weeks (13% of the eyes) resolved with prolonged postoperative medical treatment. The mean time to healing was 22.1 days (range 7–74 days). At the end of the follow‐up period (mean 8.9 months, range 1–36 months), 82.5% of eyes had regained very good to excellent corneal transparency. Nine cases relapsed (21.9% of the eyes) after surgery. Of those cases, the cornea of eight cats healed after undergoing medical treatment, and one underwent a second limited superficial lamellar keratectomy. Conclusion Superficial keratectomy in cats is an effective treatment to resolve chronic ulcerative keratitis refractory to medical treatment.