Management of a Small Paracentral Corneal Perforation Using Iatrogenic Iris Incarceration and Tissue Adhesive

BACKGROUND Surgical intervention for corneal perforation is indicated when the anterior chamber does not reform within a short period of time. Herein, we report the successful management of a small paracentral corneal perforation using autologous iris incarceration and tissue adhesive. CASE A 41-year-old man developed a small paracentral corneal perforation (0.5 mm in size) in the right eye, while the treating physician attempted to remove the residual rust ring after removal of a piece of metallic foreign body. OBSERVATIONS The eye was initially managed with a bandage soft contact lens to ameliorate the aqueous leakage; however, without success. Iatrogenic iris incarceration of the wound was first induced, followed by application of cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive to the perforated site. As a result, the anterior chamber was immediately reformed and maintained. Complete corneal epithelialization of the perforation was achieved in 2 months without visual compromises. CONCLUSIONS Cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive with iatrogenic incarceration of the autologous iris was effective in treating this type of small corneal perforation. This technique is simple and potentially useful for small paracentral corneal perforations outside the visual axis and without good apposition.