title: Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty using acellular corneal tissue for prevention of allograft rejection in high-risk corneas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) using acellular glycerol-cryopreserved corneal tissue (GCCT) could prevent allograft rejection in high-risk corneas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized, comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  The Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with herpes simplex virus keratitis, bacterial keratitis, fungal keratitis, or ocular burn, who were eligible as per study design, were invited to participate.
  
  
  METHODS
  According to randomized block design, all patients received either GCCT or fresh corneal tissue (FCT) during DALK. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp microscopy, and in vivo confocal microscopy examinations at 1 week and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate graft survival rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic success, 2-year rejection-free graft survival rate and 2-year graft survival rate, in vivo confocal microscopy results, BCVA, and endothelial cell density.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative BCVA of 20/40 or better at the last follow-up visit was achieved in 57.6% (19/33) of eyes in the GCCT group and in 54.8% (17/31) of the FCT group. No graft rejection occurred in the GCCT group, while in the FCT group 10 episodes of stromal rejection developed in 7 eyes. Overall, the rejection-free graft survival rate at 2 years was significantly higher in the GCCT group as compared with the FCT group (100.0%, 78.8% respectively, P = .006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty using acellular glycerol-preserved cornea could prevent allograft rejection and promote graft survival rate in high-risk corneas.
authors.affiliation: School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Jinyang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lechu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Huixiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D003315:Cornea; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D015817:Eye Infections / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005990:Glycerol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D009926:Organ Preservation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005990:Glycerol