PURPOSE: To describe femtosecond laser-assisted corneal biopsy and its use in assessing the causative organisms in 2 cases of infectious corneal ulcers. METHODS: A 27-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman, both of whom showed uncertain symptoms, repeated negative test results for infectious organisms, and after no improvement despite empirical therapy, underwent diagnostic corneal biopsy by using a femtosecond laser. A corneal flap depth of 200 microm and a diameter of 3 mm were obtained from each patient. RESULTS: The biopsy specimen from the male patient showed pseudohyphae, which led to a diagnosis of candidal keratitis. The biopsy specimen from the female patient showed positive Gram stain and no evidence of fungal ulcers and yielded a culture of Streptococcus viridans. No complications occurred during either procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Femtosecond laser-assisted corneal biopsy enabled identification of the infectious pathogen in both patients. This technique is easy, safe, and rapid, and it yields a biopsy specimen with a uniform depth and precise size. Femtosecond laser-assisted corneal biopsy can be used as an accurate diagnostic method in uncertain cases of corneal ulcers.
PURPOSE: To describe femtosecond laser-assisted corneal biopsy and its use in assessing the causative organisms in 2 cases of infectious corneal ulcers. METHODS: A 27-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman, both of whom showed uncertain symptoms, repeated negative test results for infectious organisms, and after no improvement despite empirical therapy, underwent diagnostic corneal biopsy by using a femtosecond laser. A corneal flap depth of 200 microm and a diameter of 3 mm were obtained from each patient. RESULTS: The biopsy specimen from the male patient showed pseudohyphae, which led to a diagnosis of candidal keratitis. The biopsy specimen from the female patient showed positive Gram stain and no evidence of fungal ulcers and yielded a culture of Streptococcus viridans. No complications occurred during either procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Femtosecond laser-assisted corneal biopsy enabled identification of the infectious pathogen in both patients. This technique is easy, safe, and rapid, and it yields a biopsy specimen with a uniform depth and precise size. Femtosecond laser-assisted corneal biopsy can be used as an accurate diagnostic method in uncertain cases of corneal ulcers.
Authors: Mihail Zemba; Otilia-Maria Dumitrescu; Andreea-Elena Dimirache; Daniel Constantin Branisteanu; Florian Balta; Marian Burcea; Andreea Dana Moraru; Sinziana Gradinaru Journal: Exp Ther Med Date: 2021-12-13 Impact factor: 2.447