Corneal endothelial cell loss after penetrating keratoplasty in relation to preoperative recipient endothelial cell density.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to assess recipient endothelial cell density and trephination diameter as predictive factors for corneal endothelial cell density after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP).


METHODS
Forty-eight eyes showing keratoconus (group I, with sufficient recipient endothelial cell density) and 42 eyes demonstrating bullous keratopathy or Fuchs' dystrophy (group II, with insufficient recipient endothelial cell density) were included in this retrospective study. The endothelial cell density after PKP was assessed over 2 years.


RESULTS
Chronic endothelial cell loss was significantly higher in group II than in group I patients at all follow-up times >3 months (p < 0.05). In group II patients, an inverse correlation between endothelial cell loss and trephine diameter was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that recipient endothelial cell density is a risk factor for increased endothelial cell loss following PKP. In patients with insufficient endothelial cell density, a large trephine size could reduce chronic endothelial cell loss.
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
So-Hyang
SH
Chung
Hyun Kyung
HK
Kim
Man Soo
MS
Kim
D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D055954:Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss / Q000209:etiology*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005642:Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D057234:Preoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors