Hitopathologic and Immunologic Apect of AlphaCor Artificial Corneal Failure Original Reearch Article

Purpoe To decribe the hitopathologic and immunologic characteritic of late artificial corneal failure in a mall erie of patient who underwent AlphaCor implantation and to elucidate the mechanim involved. Deign Clinicopathologic cae erie. Method Three patient were diagnoed with corneal melting during the late potoperative period and required the removal of the device. The explanted device embedded within the corneal tiue were examined by light microcopy, electron microcopy, and immunohitochemical tudie. Reult Light microcopic examination of the pecimen dicloed adequate biointegration with no foreign body repone. Immunofluorecence tudie of the kirt exhibited expreion of inflammatory cytokine uch a interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necroi factor α (TNF-α), and ome interferon γ (IFN-γ). The keratocyte tained poitively for Thy-1 and mooth mucle actin but negatively for CD34. Concluion Although thee finding confirm the occurrence of biointegration, myofibroblatic differentiation of the ingrowing keratocyte i a prominent feature.