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Vera-Duarte GR, Jimenez-Collado D, Kahuam-López N, Ramirez-Miranda A, Graue-Hernandez EO, Navas A, Rosenblatt MI. Neurotrophic keratopathy: General features and new therapies. Surv Ophthalmol 2024:S0039-6257(24)00042-0. [PMID: 38679146 DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2024.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Neurotrophic keratopathy is an uncommon degenerative corneal disorder characterized by compromised corneal sensory innervation, resulting in the formation of epithelial defects and nonhealing corneal ulcers. Various treatment modalities are available to stabilize disease progression, improve patient well-being, and prevent vision loss. For eligible patients, medical and surgical reinnervation have emerged as pioneering therapies, holding promise for better management. This article presents a comprehensive review of the disease, providing an update relevant to ophthalmologists on pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment options, and novel therapies targeting pathophysiological pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Raul Vera-Duarte
- Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Instituto de Oftalmología "Conde de Valenciana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - David Jimenez-Collado
- Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Instituto de Oftalmología "Conde de Valenciana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nicolás Kahuam-López
- Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Instituto de Oftalmología "Conde de Valenciana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Arturo Ramirez-Miranda
- Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Instituto de Oftalmología "Conde de Valenciana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Enrique O Graue-Hernandez
- Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Instituto de Oftalmología "Conde de Valenciana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Navas
- Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Instituto de Oftalmología "Conde de Valenciana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mark I Rosenblatt
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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Feinberg K, Tajdaran K, Mirmoeini K, Daeschler SC, Henriquez MA, Stevens KE, Mulenga CM, Hussain A, Hamrah P, Ali A, Gordon T, Borschel GH. The Role of Sensory Innervation in Homeostatic and Injury-Induced Corneal Epithelial Renewal. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12615. [PMID: 37628793 PMCID: PMC10454376 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The cornea is the window through which we see the world. Corneal clarity is required for vision, and blindness occurs when the cornea becomes opaque. The cornea is covered by unique transparent epithelial cells that serve as an outermost cellular barrier bordering between the cornea and the external environment. Corneal sensory nerves protect the cornea from injury by triggering tearing and blink reflexes, and are also thought to regulate corneal epithelial renewal via unknown mechanism(s). When protective corneal sensory innervation is absent due to infection, trauma, intracranial tumors, surgery, or congenital causes, permanent blindness results from repetitive epithelial microtraumas and failure to heal. The condition is termed neurotrophic keratopathy (NK), with an incidence of 5:10,000 people worldwide. In this report, we review the currently available therapeutic solutions for NK and discuss the progress in our understanding of how the sensory nerves induce corneal epithelial renewal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Feinberg
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Kiana Tajdaran
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Kaveh Mirmoeini
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Simeon C. Daeschler
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, BG Trauma Hospital, Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University of Heidelberg, 67071 Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Mario A. Henriquez
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Katelyn E. Stevens
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Chilando M. Mulenga
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Arif Hussain
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Pedram Hamrah
- Cornea Service, New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Center for Translational Ocular Immunology, Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Asim Ali
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3A9, Canada
| | - Tessa Gordon
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Gregory H. Borschel
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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Abstract
Ocular symptomatology in lesions of the facial nerve is associated with disturbed innervation of the circular muscle of the eye that leads to disruption of the protective function of the eyelids and the development of exposure symptoms, and is accompanied by a breach in corneal tear film integrity. The main clinical manifestation of the trigeminal nerve damage is the loss of sensory innervation of the cornea and disruption of the supply of neurotransmitters to its cells, manifesting as corneal hypo- or anesthesia. This triggers a cascade of pathological processes that lead to the development of neurotrophic keratopathy. In combined pathology of the facial and trigeminal nerves, a number of interrelated and mutually aggravating problems arise that require correction of lagophthalmos and functional restoration of the trigeminal nerve, since there is an interaction between the corneal epithelium and trigeminal neurons through trophic neuromodulators, which normally contribute to the proliferation of epithelial cells, their differentiation, migration and adhesion, and are essential for vital functions, metabolism and healing of surface lesions of the eye. Classical methods of treating neurotrophic keratopathy aim to protect the ocular surface, and are palliative or auxiliary, do not provide radical relief of the symptoms of neurotrophic keratopathy. Modern surgical technique of neurotization of the cornea allows restoring the structural growth of the nerve, which provides nerve trophism and corneal sensitivity, and is the only pathogenetically substantiated method of effective treatment of neurotrophic keratopathy. At the same time, direct neurotization has undeniable advantages over methods involving intercalary donor nerves, since neuropeptides from nerve fibers are immediately released into the recipient tissue and start reparative processes. Taking into account the accumulated positive experience of neurotization surgeries, scientific and clinical research should be continued in order to improve the most effective methods of corneal neurotization and promote their wider implementation into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- M B Gushchina
- Central Research Institute of Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery, Moscow, Russia
- Kaluga branch of S.N. Fedorov National Medical Research Center «MNTK «Eye Microsurgery», Kaluga, Russia
| | - S B Butsan
- Central Research Institute of Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery, Moscow, Russia
| | - K S Salikhov
- Central Research Institute of Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery, Moscow, Russia
| | - V Y Sergeeva
- Central Research Institute of Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery, Moscow, Russia
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Rusňák Š, Hecová L, Štěpánek D, Sobotová M. CORNEAL NEUROTIZATION IN A PATIENT WITH SEVERE NEUROTROPHIC KERATOPATHY. CASE REPORT. Cesk Slov Oftalmol 2021; 77:146–152. [PMID: 35130706 DOI: 10.31348/2021/17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) is a degenerative corneal disease caused by damage to the trigeminal innervation due to a decrease in corneal sensitivity or complete anaesthesia. Impaired corneal innervation leads to morphological and metabolic disorders of the epithelium. In addition, it also leads to the development of recurrent or persistent epithelial defects in corneal ulcers, which may progress to stromal lysis and corneal perforation. One possible solution for severe NK is reinnervation of the anaesthetic cornea (corneal neurotization) using the supraorbital nerve and an autologous sensory nerve graft (indirect neurotization). This article presents the results of corneal neurotization in a young male patient with persistent epithelial defects and corneal ulcers due to corneal denervation. RESULTS A 22-year-old man with a history of neurosurgery for astrocytoma of the cerebellum and trunk on the right side at the age of 2 years, was observed for postoperative paresis of the right facial nerve with lagophthalmos in his childhood. The presence of asymptomatic dysfunction of the right trigeminal nerve was also noted. At the age of 22 years, after right eyeball contusion, the vision of the right eye decreased and a persistent epithelial defect developed, followed by corneal ulceration. Due to the exhaustion of therapeutic options in a young patient with corneal anaesthesia, the cornea was reinnervated via the contralateral supraorbital nerve using an autologous sural nerve graft. Five months after the surgery, the sensitivity of the cornea of the right eye began to recover. After amniotic membrane transplantation, the extensive epithelial defect healed, and the opaque corneal stroma gradually cleared up. CONCLUSION The reinnervation of the anaesthetic cornea (corneal neurotization) using the supraorbital nerve and the autologous sensory nerve graft represents a new solution for severe NK treatment. The severe corneal condition in our patient healed after the surgery.
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Grusha YO, Novikov ML, Danilov SS, Fettser EI, Karapetyan AS. [Neurotization of the cornea as pathogenically targeted method of treating neurotrophic keratitis in patients with facial paralysis]. Vestn Oftalmol 2020; 136:52-57. [PMID: 33056964 DOI: 10.17116/oftalma202013605152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Combined lesions of the facial and trigeminal cranial nerves are typical after neurosurgical treatment. Violation of the innervation of orbicularis muscle leads to inability to completely close the eyelids, while denervation of the cornea is often manifested as a long-term ongoing and recurring neurotrophic keratitis. The restoration of corneal innervation is a pathogenetically targeted treatment for this pathology. For this purpose, neurotrophic keratitis could be reversed via the method of corneal neurotization using contralateral n. ophthalmicus. The presented clinical case demonstrates the results of the first operation of neurotization of the cornea in a patient with combined lesions of the facial and trigeminal nerves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y O Grusha
- Research Institute of Eye Diseases, Moscow, Russia.,I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia
| | - M L Novikov
- Clinical emergency hospital named after N.V. Solovyov, Nerve and Paralysis Surgery Center, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - S S Danilov
- Research Institute of Eye Diseases, Moscow, Russia
| | - E I Fettser
- Research Institute of Eye Diseases, Moscow, Russia.,I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia
| | - A S Karapetyan
- Clinical emergency hospital named after N.V. Solovyov, Nerve and Paralysis Surgery Center, Yaroslavl, Russia
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Ebner R, Fridrich G, Socolovsky M, Luna A, Croxatto JO. In Vivo Corneal Confocal Microscopy: Pre- and Post-operative Evaluation in a Case of Corneal Neurotization. Neuroophthalmology 2019; 44:193-196. [PMID: 32395173 DOI: 10.1080/01658107.2019.1568508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In this report, we analyse the pre- and post-operative corneal changes observed using in vivo confocal corneal microscopy in a patient with neurotrophic keratitis submitted to a corneal reinnervation surgical procedure. We describe favourable trophic changes observed at different levels of the patient's cornea, particularly in the sub-basal nerve plexus; complete absence of these neurological structures was observed before surgery, but appeared largely restored six months thereafter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Ebner
- Department of Ophthalmology, British Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Analía Luna
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Austral, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Oscar Croxatto
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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