Alanya hospital performs first stitchless cornea transplants

Alanya Training and Research Hospital has successfully performed the Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) procedure, a method commonly known as “stitchless cornea transplant,” for the first time in Alanya. The surgeries were conducted by Associate Professor Dr. Fuat Yavrum, a faculty member at Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University.

To date, the procedure has been successfully applied to six patients. Unlike traditional cornea transplants, DMEK involves replacing only the diseased innermost layer of the cornea—approximately 20 microns thick—rather than the entire cornea. Dr. Yavrum noted that because only the diseased tissue is replaced, the operation can often be performed under local anesthesia, allowing patients to return to their daily lives more quickly. The method offers advantages such as faster visual recovery and lower rejection rates compared to other techniques.

The introduction of this advanced surgical method aims to increase access to specialized eye treatments for local residents and reduce the need for patients to travel to other cities for such procedures.