Large corneal transplants in corneal destructive disease.
METHODS
Forty nine keratoplasties were performed in 18 eyes of 17 patients with severe corneal destructive disease.


RESULTS
One eye became phthisical and 5 others lost useful visual acuity but retained a satisfactory cosmetic result. No eyes were enucleated. Recurrence of the host disease in the graft was the largest cause of visual failure. Primary allograft rejection was rare in spite of the large size of the grafts and their proximity to the limbus and new vessels.


CONCLUSIONS
For these grafts to succeed it is essential to bring the underlying systemic disease under control by intensive systemic immunosuppressive therapy before, during and for many months after surgery. It was found that those with Mooren's ulcer had the worst prognosis for the retention of vision.
Watson
P G
PG
Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge.
Richardson
E
E
D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000379:methods*; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014181:Transplantation Immunology / Q000187:drug effects; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents