BACKGROUND Penetrating keratoplasty can commonly restore vision in corneal blindness. However, immunological graft reactions may induce irreversible graft failure in a substantial percentage. Repeat keratoplasties in turn are associated with increased risk of graft failure and possibly irreversible blindness. Topical as well as systemic immunosuppressants are administered for prophylaxis. Howev...

BACKGROUND High-risk keratoplasties are usually performed after an uninflamed and quiescent interval in corneas with partly regressed blood and lymphatic vessels. We analysed whether the inhibition of post-keratoplasty revascularisation in mice with partly regressed corneal vessels ("intermediate-risk") improves graft survival. METHODS Three interrupted stromal sutures (11-0) in corneas of Ba...

PURPOSE To investigate effects of a new push-through insertion method for donor lenticules using an injector system on endothelial viability ex vivo and in a clinical case series of endothelial keratoplasty. METHODS An ex vivo delivery model was used with porcine corneoscleral rims. We compared the endothelial viability in a new push-through insertion method using the Visian Implantable Colla...

PURPOSE Corneal endothelial cells (EC) are crucial for maintaining corneal clarity before and after keratoplasty. Since it is thought that corneal graft rejection leads to irreversible EC loss and transplant failure, we quantified immune mediated EC loss in the rat keratoplasty model and analyzed whether the EC layer would then regenerate. METHODS Rats were subjected to orthotopic penetrating...

Endothelial keratoplasty is a recent shift in the surgical treatment of corneal endothelial dystrophies, where the dysfunctional endothelium is replaced whilst retaining the unaffected corneal layers. To overcome the limitation of donor corneal shortage, alternative use of tissue engineered constructs is being researched. Tissue constructs with intact extracellular matrix are generated using st...

PURPOSE To compare clinical outcomes after deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty (DLEK) with Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) performed as initial cases by a single surgeon. METHODS Sixteen patients with corneal endothelial were enrolled. Eight patients (8 eyes) underwent DLEK and 8 patients (8 eyes) DSEK. We measured uncorrected visual acuity, best corrected visual acuity ...

PURPOSE To determine changes in the central endothelium and thickness of grafted corneas and the cumulative probability of developing glaucoma, of graft rejection, and of graft failure 15 years after penetrating keratoplasty. DESIGN Longitudinal cohort study of 500 consecutive penetrating keratoplasties by one surgeon. METHODS Regrafted eyes, fellow eyes of bilateral cases, and patients not...

purpose: to evaluate corneal endothelial cells of donors who died from aluminum phosphide intoxication. methods: endothelial cell count and quality of eight corneas from four donors with aluminum phosphide intoxication were evaluated by slit lamp biomicroscopy and specular microscopy at the eye bank of i.r. iran. confocal scan examination was carried out only in one of the recipients. results: ...