title: [Penetrating keratoplasty indications in "Hospital das Clínicas-UNICAMP"].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the main causes of penetrating keratoplasty indications at "Hospital das Clínicas-UNICAMP" (January, 1999 to December, 2003).
  
  
  METHODS
  A non-comparative, retrospective series of case studies. The authors reviewed the files of 857 patients who underwent penetrating keratoplasty at "Hospital das Clínicas-UNICAMP" between 1999-2003 and classified them into different categories according to diagnostic indication for surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age range was between 0-88 years (average 44 years +/-1.2). The main causes of penetrating keratoplasty were: keratoconus in 427 cases (49.82%); 152 cases (17.74%) of corneal ulceration (perforated or not); corneal graft failure in 87 cases (10.15%); bullous keratopathy, 72 cases (8.40%); Fuchs dystrophy in 59 cases (6.88%); trachoma complications in 28 cases (3.27%); other causes, 32 (3.74%). In children under 10 years of age, the main cause of penetrating keratoplasty indications was infectious ulcer (77.78%) and between 11-50 years of age, keratoconus was the main cause (71.65%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study was composed of a young population, and the main causes of penetrating keratoplasty were keratoconus and therapeutic keratoplasty.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil. vanweb@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Vanessa Gonçalves Crespi
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Helena Luísa Reimer
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Rosane Silvestre
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: de Castro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies