Spontaneous wound dehiscence after removal of single continuous penetrating keratoplasty suture: conservative management

PURPOSE: To describe a case of spontaneous wound dehiscence (WD) following removal of single continuous penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) suture, who was treated conservatively with a bandage contact lens. METHODS: A 36 year-old man who had penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus 15 months earlier and removal of the single continues suture the previous week underwent ocular examination. He was treated with topical dexamethasone 0.3%, chloramphenicol 0.5% and cyclopentolate 1% 3 times a day and had a bandage contact lens (BCL) inserted. RESULTS: On presentation, he was complaining of reduced vision, tearing and pain following an attack of rhinitis-induced sneezing. His visual acuity (VA) in the affected eye was counting fingers, the anterior chamber was formed, the intraocular pressure (IOP) was low and there was a 2-clock-hour WD with a positive Seidel test but no iris incarceration. Two months later, his corrected VA was 6/5, his IOP was normal and the graft-host junction was good with no uplift. CONCLUSIONS: A 2-clock-hour WD after single continuous PKP suture removal may be conservatively treated with a BCL.