Case Report

Corneal perforation due to chronic graftversus- host disease after allogenic bone marrow transplantation

  • Üzeyir Erdem
  • Hakan Ay
  • Serkan Köksal
  • Yusuf Uysal
  • Fatih Çakır Gündoğan
  • M. Zeki Bayraktar

Received Date: 31.10.2005 Accepted Date: 02.05.2006 Gulhane Med J 2006;48(3):166-168

Dry eye associated with chronic graft-versus- host disease is the most frequently observed complication after allogenic bone marrow transplantation. The other important ocular complications are recurrent corneal epithelial defects, corneal ulcer and corneal melting. A 25-year-old female patient admitted with the complaints of stinging and burning sensation in her both eyes. The patient had allogenic bone marrow transplantation with the diagnosis of chronic myelocytic leukemia two years ago. Examination of the patient revealed punctate epithelial keratopathy, dry eye and posterior subcapsular cataract in her both eyes. We determined common skin dryness, dermatitis and Cushingoid face in her examination. In this article a case of dry eye and corneal perforation developing due to chronic graft-versushost disease after allogenic bone marrow transplantation is presented, and combination treatment of tacrolimus, steroid and hyperbaric oxygen therapy performed after primary surgery is discussed.

Keywords: Allogenic stem cell transplantation, graft-versus-host disease, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, corneal perforation