Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis

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Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis (OOKP) is a medical procedure to restore vision in the most severe cases of corneal and ocular surface patients. It includes removal of a tooth from the patient (or a donor[1]), attaching optics to the tooth, growing the tooth in the patients cheek for a period of months and then implanting the tooth in the patients eye.[2]

[edit] Procedure

OOKP is a complex two stage Operation which was pioneered in Italy in the 1960s.[3]

Stage 1 of the surgery involves 5 separate procedures:

  1. The eye is opened up and the entire inner surface of the eyelids, corneal surface and all scar tissue is removed
  2. Inner mucosal lining of the cheek is transplanted onto the new surface of the eye
  3. A canine or premolar tooth and part of the adjacent bone and ligaments are removed
  4. A bolt-shaped structure is fashioned from the tooth-bone complex which is fitted with a plastic optical cylinder
  5. The tooth-bone-cylinder complex is implanted into the patient's cheek to grow a new blood supply

Stage 2 (about 4 months later) involves 2 separate procedures:

  1. The cheek mucosal lining over the eye is opened and the inner contents of the eye are removed
  2. The tooth-bone-cylinder complex is removed from the cheek and inserted into the eye, the mucosal cheek lining is replaced over the implant.

At the end of the procedure, light can now enter through the plastic cylinder, and the patient is able to see through this cylinder with good vision.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Son's tooth helps save dad's sight - Latest News, Health - Independent.ie
  2. ^ a b National Dental Centre - 25 May 2005 TOOTH-IN-EYE (OOKP) SURGERY HELP 8 REGAIN SIGHT
  3. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/irelandbritainhealthoffbeat

[edit] External links

Yeshiva World News story about blind man receiving this procedure