title: [Histopathological study of corneal wound healing in guinea pigs after deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty with small incision].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the histopathological characteristics of corneal wound healing after deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty (DLEK) with small incision.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five guinea pigs were divided into the donor and recipient groups, which consisted of 15 and 30 guinea pigs respectively. DLEK was performed in the right eye, and the left eye was used as histopathological control. Two guinea pigs with clear right corneas under biomicroscopy examination were killed at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months and 4 months postoperatively, separately. Bilateral corneal buttons were harvested for the evaluation of endothelial cells (alizarin red stain) and for the light microscopy study (HE or PAS staining).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clear cornea could be obtained in 22 recipient eyes postoperatively. In these corneas, the endothelial cells either in the donor disc or recipient's bed were normal in shape and size. However, there was a band area between the donor disc and recipient's bed, where the endothelial cells were abnormal. In the early postoperative period, histopathological study disclosed increase of number of cells in the corneal stroma along the pathway of lamellar separation. The tissue connecting the gap between the donor and recipient lacked lamellar structure. The new descemet's membrane appeared beneath the endothelium 1 month postoperatively. Three to four months after the operation, the continuity of the descemet's membrane and the posterior lamella was rehabilitated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The corneal wound healing process after the DLEK with small incision is related with the type of trauma. Collagen is arranged well at the surface of the lamellar. Fibrotic repair is seen in the marginal area connecting the donor disc and recipient's bed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
authors.forename: Chao-ran
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian-jiang
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Rong-jia
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xing-huai
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000473:pathology*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D014945:Wound Healing