Indianapolis Medical Professionals Author First-Ever Text on Innovative Sutureless Cornea Transplant Surgery

Newswise — Francis W. Price, Jr. M.D., president of Price Vision Group, along with Marianne Price, Ph.D., executive director of the Cornea Research Foundation of America, have co-authored the first-ever text for medical professionals on a pioneering cornea transplant procedure that is sutureless while offering a quicker recuperation, stronger post-operative eye and excellent clinical results.

All royalty proceeds from the sale of the text will benefit the Cornea Research Foundation of America's study of the groundbreaking technique. The text and accompanying DVD with 20 videos demonstrating various aspects of the surgical procedure costs $115.00 and is available through Slack Publications.

About the Text - DSEK: What You Need to Know About Endothelial Keratoplasty provides a comprehensive background of EK, where it is today, and where it is headed in the future. Francis W. Price, MD, who was the first to complete DSEK in the United States, along with Marianne Price, Ph.D., have designed this text with a special emphasis on how to perform surgeries, along with preventing and managing complications. In addition, a diverse group of contributing authors provides a wide array of insights and tips for better patient outcomes.

Features in the book include: "¢ Current applications of DSEK and DSAEK and tips from some of the more than 500 surgeons trained by Dr. Francis Price; "¢ Information how to perform DMEK, the newest iteration of EK, including a step by step technique and post operative management;"¢ Detailed discussion of air management for EK surgeries and how to avoid unintended consequences;"¢ Special techniques for smaller Asian Eye;"¢ Three patient interviews that illustrate key advantages over older techniques from the patient's perspective.

About Endothelial KeratoplastyThe adult cornea is only about 1/2 millimeter thick and is comprised of 3 distinct layers, with the innermost endothelial cell layer pumping water from the cornea to keep it clear. If damaged or diseased, this cell layer cannot regenerate; as vision worsens, a transplant becomes necessary. The DSEK procedure is revolutionizing cornea transplants. Eye Bank Association of America statistics from the past three years illustrate a 10-fold increase in use of the procedure, and show that it has become the surgery of choice for treatment of endothelial problems among ophthalmologists performing corneal transplants.

Instead of replacing the entire full-thickness of the cornea and stitching the transplant to anchor it, as occurs in traditional transplants, surgeons performing DSEK replace only the single damaged layer of endothelial cells. For those patients who are eligible, the procedure offers significant advantages:

"¢ No post-operative stitches around the cornea, which usually require healing that takes over a year before removal."¢ Patients who receive the EK procedure heal and recover vision within three to six months, and some even recover 20/20 vision within a few weeks."¢ The small incision used with DSEK leaves the eye much stronger and more resistant to injury, and patients can return to normal activities much sooner."¢ DSEK can be performed with anesthesia eye drops, instead of requiring a shot near the eye or general anesthesia, which is much safer for the patient.

Just as modern cataract surgery is a huge improvement over older techniques, when patients were bed-ridden for days, DSEK represents an amazing improvement in ease and speed of recovery for transplant patients, compared with older techniques.

Expert Source: Dr. Marianne Price, executive director of the Cornea Research Foundation of America. Dr. Price is a sought after speaker and published author, a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, and Ophthalmic Women Leaders. Dr. Price holds a bachelor's degree in engineering science from the University of Notre Dame and both an MBA in finance and a doctorate in medical and molecular genetics from Indiana University.