A donor-free artificial corneal implant was successfully performed for the first time in Israel on Thursday, Kaplan Medical Center announced. This pioneering surgery offers a new hope to thousands of patients worldwide facing blindness.
The procedure, conducted at Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot, saw the implantation of the innovative "EndoArt" device in a patient who had previously experienced three unsuccessful donor cornea transplants.
The patient, who suffered from severe swelling of the cornea, represented a difficult case where traditional donor transplants were no longer a viable option due to a high risk of rejection and failure. Therefore, the ultra-thin EndoArt implant was selected.
Developed by Israeli medical device company EyeYon Medical, the EndoArt implant, invented by cornea surgeon Dr. Ofer Daphna, has been designed to replace the function of the corneal endothelium.
By restoring this crucial layer, the implant can return transparency to a damaged cornea without requiring human donor tissue.
A solution for the waiting list crisis
The introduction of EndoArt addresses a critical global shortage, where more than 13 million people worldwide are currently waiting for a cornea transplant.
Prof. Arie Marcovich, Head of the Ophthalmology Department at Kaplan Medical Center, emphasized the significance of the procedure. "This is a genuine breakthrough offering hope to patients awaiting corneal transplants, especially those who have exhausted all other options," he stated.
"The patient who underwent surgery today had previously received three donor corneal transplants that failed, and another transplant was no longer possible. The new implant developed by EyeYon Medical offers him and many others the opportunity to see again without the need for a human donor cornea. This is particularly important in Israel, where waiting lists for corneal transplants can extend for months or even years."
Would the EndoArt procedure be the innovation of the year?
Unlike traditional transplants, the EndoArt procedure is described as short, precise, and cannot be rejected by the recipient’s body, as it is a bio-inert material. The implant is hailed as a technological first worldwide, designed to provide a long-term solution for vision loss due to endothelial diseases.
The device has already demonstrated its effectiveness globally, with hundreds of successful EndoArt implantations reported, resulting in significant improvements in patients’ visual quality.
Nahum Ferera, CEO of EyeYon Medical, highlighted the emotional significance of the event. "The technology that was born at Kaplan Hospital by Dr. Daphna has now returned there after hundreds of successful surgeries worldwide, as a safe and effective product," he said.
"This is an emotional moment for our team to see Israeli technology truly transforming lives."