Stem cell treatment for corneal descemetocele in a dog

Abstract

The cornea is comprised of 4 layers; the outermost layer is the epithelium, followed by the stroma, Descemet's membrane, and endothelium. Corneal descemetocele is a serious consequence of progressive corneal ulceration, characterized by a herniation of the Descemet membrane through an overlying stromal defect. It requires urgent intervention due to the risk of perforation. Although there are several treatments available for this type of corneal ulcer, conservative approaches may be inadequate due to the typical severity of this injury. Surgical interventions, including conjunctival autograft transplantation and corneoscleral transposition, are commonly used. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used to effectively treat corneal ulcers, but there are limited reports regarding its use for descemetocele. A 7-year-old female shih tzu was diagnosed with descemetocele. In this dog, 2 × 10MSCs, provided by CellTech - Stem Cell Technologies, were injected bilaterally into the conjunctiva, with an additional 5 × 10MSCs applied topically to each eye. The ulcer achieved complete remission with an absence of corneal opacity after 75 d, supporting the claim that MSCs are an effective and safe option for the treatment of descemetocele. Key clinical message: The dog's descemetocele healed completely after a single application of MSCs after 30 d, with scars and leukoma completely absent after 75 d. No surgical intervention was required.