[Posterior chamber lens implantation after penetrating keratoplasty. Is this partly responsible for late transplantation failure?].
BACKGROUND
Posterior chamber lens implantation (PCL) after penetrating keratoplasty (pKp) might contribute to late endothelial graft failure due to intraoperative damage of graft endothelium or due to PCL-associated facilitation of chronic endothelial cell loss.


METHODS
A total of 55 eyes were retrospectively selected. By means of exponential regression analysis, individual annual relative endothelial cell loss was calculated. Six patients were pseudophakic prior to pKp (group A). Due to advanced cataracts in 18 patients (group B) a combined operation (triple-procedure) had been initially performed. Of the remaining 31 eyes. 17 underwent PCL implantation after a mean of 1.5+/-1.2 years post pKp during follow-up (group C). The remaining 14 eyes remained phakic during follow-up (group D).


RESULTS
A statistically significant difference between the groups was not observed for the follow-up period or duration of culture ( p=0.14; Kruskal-Wallis-Test). Graft failures during follow-up were also not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
From these preliminary results, cataract surgery does not seem to promote late endothelial failure after pKp.
Böhringer
D
D
Augenklinik, Universitätsklinikum, Freiburg. boehringer@aug.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
Reinhard
T
T
Spelsberg
H
H
Sundmacher
R
R
D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome