Long term results of corneal grafting in Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy.
The long term results of grafting for Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy are reported in 25 patients with 33 penetrating keratoplasties, with a mean observation period of 50 months, 33% of the cases showed a visual acuity of 0.5 or better, while 42% had a visual acuity less than 0.1. The cause of visual acuity less than 0.1 was largely permanent corneal oedema, which was observed to develop in 39% of the cases. Some of the causes of oedema were accounted for by graft rejection, glaucoma and other obvious causes, but in a significant number of cases (12% of all cases), the oedema developed as a quiet, slowly progressive oedema without any obvious aetiology. It is tentatively suggested that the recurrence of oedema might be associated with the primary disease in patients with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy.
D000368:Aged; D002455:Cell Division; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D003317:Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D004727:Endothelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005642:Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy / Q000601:surgery*; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014792:Visual Acuity