title: Keratocyte density 3 months, 15 months, and 3 years after corneal surface ablation with mitomycin C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of surface ablation with mitomycin C (MMC) on keratocyte population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional, comparative case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty two eyes treated with surface ablation with 0.02% MMC were compared with nontreated eyes at Vissum Santa Hortensia, Madrid, Spain. Keratocyte density was measured with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II (Rostock Cornea Module) 3, 15, and 36 to 42 months after the surgery in the anterior, mid, and posterior stroma, and compared with control eyes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three months postoperatively, we found a lower stromal bed density compared to controls (16 993 ± 8001 vs 29 660 ± 5904 cells/mm(3), P = .0001), while there was a significantly higher cell density in the mid (30 783 ± 9300 vs 18 505 ± 1996 cells/mm(3), P = .0001) and deep stroma (30 268 ± 8321 vs 18 438 ± 2139 cells/mm(3), P = .0001). Three years after the surgery, the cellularity in the stromal bed had not significantly changed from the 3-month follow-up, but the density in the mid (18 889 ± 3474 cells/mm(3)) and posterior stroma (18 992 ± 3402 cells/mm(3)) had decreased to show no difference from controls. The mean cell density between the anterior, mid, and posterior stroma was not significantly different from controls 15 months and 3 years after the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that there is a reorganization of the stromal cell population soon after surface ablation with MMC, with a decrease in the stromal bed compensated initially with an increase in the mid and posterior stroma. Corneal cellularity tends to normalize over time, and 3 years postoperatively the mean cell density throughout the cornea seems to maintain normal values.
authors.affiliation: Vissum Madrid, Madrid, Spain. lbenito@vissum.com
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Benito-Llopis
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cañadas
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hernández-Verdejo
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Teus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000628:therapy; D002452:Cell Count; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D060527:Corneal Keratocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009216:Myopia / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D016685:Mitomycin