A Case Report of Fungal Keratitis Diagnosed by Femtosecond Laser Assisted Corneal Biopsy.

Yum, Jung Hoon; Choi, Suk Kyue; Lee, Jong Hyun; Lee, Do Hyung; Kim, Jin Hyoung

doi:2008.49.1.164

J Korean Ophthalmol Soc > Volume 49(1); 2008 > Article

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2008;49(1):164-168.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2007.49.1.164 Published online January 31, 2008.

A Case Report of Fungal Keratitis Diagnosed by Femtosecond Laser Assisted Corneal Biopsy.

Jung Hoon Yum, Suk Kyue Choi, Jong Hyun Lee, Do Hyung Lee, Jin Hyoung Kim

Department of Ophthalmology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Ilsan, Korea. jhk0924@hanmail.net

펨토초 레이저를 이용한 각막생검으로 진단된 진균각막염 1예

염정훈ㆍ최석규ㆍ이종현ㆍ이도형ㆍ김진형

Department of Ophthalmology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Ilsan, Korea

Correspondence: Jung Hoon Yum, M.D.

Abstract

PURPOSE
To describe femtosecond laser-assisted corneal biopsy and its use in assessing the causative organism in a case of fungal keratitis that occurred 8 months after penetrating keratoplasty. CASE SUMMARY: A 27-year-old man who had undergone penetrating keratoplasty 8 months prior showed atypical diffuse corneal haze and erosion. Diagnostic corneal biopsy using a femtosecond laser was performed because of repeated negative test results for an infectious organism and a lack of improvement, despite steroid and empirical antibiotic therapy. A corneal flap 200 micrometer in depth and 3 mm in diameter was obtained. The biopsy showed pseudohyphae, which led to a diagnosis of Candidal keratitis. No complications occurred during the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Femtosecond laser-assisted corneal biopsy enabled identification of the infectious pathogen. 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.

Key Words: Corneal biopsy;Femtosecond laser;Fungal keratitis