Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) using corneal donor tissue not acceptable for use in penetrating keratoplasty as a result of anterior stromal scars, pterygia, and previous corneal refractive surgical procedures.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) using anterior stromal flawed (ASF) donor corneas that were unsuitable for use in full-thickness penetrating keratoplasty as a result of stromal scars, pterygia, or previous corneal refractive surgery and to compare results with DSAEK using standard tissue.


METHODS
We conducted a review of our initial 42 (19 with 6-month follow up) consecutive DSAEK surgeries using ASF tissue compared with 357 (199 with 6-month follow up) time-matched controls using standard tissue. Intraoperative and perioperative complications, including dislocations and primary graft failures, were compared. Six-month best spectacle-corrected vision, incidence of rejection episodes, postoperative refractive astigmatism, keratometric values, pre- and postoperative topography-derived surface asymmetry index, and surface regularity index were compared.


RESULTS
One surgeon-cut ASF tissue was perforated before surgery and was discarded. No surgeon-cut standard tissue was perforated. No intraoperative complications and no episodes of primary graft failure or pupillary block glaucoma occurred in either group. One (2.4%) postoperative graft dislocation and one (5.2%) graft rejection episode occurred in the study group. There were 10 (2.8%) dislocations and 8 (2.2%) graft rejection in the controls. A statistically similar significant improvement in best spectacle-corrected vision occurred in both groups. Corneal topography, pachymetry, and manifest astigmatism were not significantly different between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative results of DSAEK using donor tissue excluded from use in penetrating keratoplasty as a result of stromal flaws are equivalent to results using standard donor tissue. Central corneal thickness measurements should be performed before cutting to avoid tissue perforation. The use of ASF tissue for DSAEK will expand the cornea donor pool.
Phillips
Paul M
PM
Devers Eye Institute, Portland, OR 97210, USA.
Terry
Mark A
MA
Shamie
Neda
N
Chen
Edwin S
ES
Hoar
Karen L
KL
Stoeger
Chris
C
Friend
Daniel J
DJ
Saad
Hisham A
HA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001331:Automation; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000473:pathology; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D003886:Descemet Membrane / Q000601:surgery*; D046148:Donor Selection; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011625:Pterygium / Q000473:pathology*; D054140:Refractive Surgical Procedures; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity