Subconjunctival Air Leakage After Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty(DSAEK) in a Post-Trabeculectomy Eye

PURPOSE: To report a case of subconjunctival air leakage from the anterior chamber (AC) into a trabeculectomy bleb after Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). METHODS: An 89 year-old woman with a previous history of primary open angle glaucoma in her left eye and previous trabeculectomy with mitomycin C had DSAEK on the patient’s left eye in order to treat her endothelial disease. During the DSAEK procedure, air was injected into the AC to aid in graft adherence. RESULTS: The day after the surgery, subconjunctival air leakage from the AC into a trabeculectomy bleb was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Although our patient did not have any complications from this leak, there exists the potential for hypotony, bleb-related infections, and dislocations of the DSAEK graft. Given the potential consequences, these patients should be monitored closely.