title: Trends in the distribution of donor corneal tissue and indications for corneal transplantation: the New Zealand National Eye Bank Study 2000-2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the indications for corneal transplantation and the distribution of donor corneal tissue in New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of the prospective database of the New Zealand National Eye Bank.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2205 corneal transplants were assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  New Zealand National Eye Bank records were analysed for the decade 2000-2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Variables analysed included donor corneal tissue distribution (including public and private sectors), indications for transplantation, donor corneal tissue recipient demographics (age and gender) and corneal transplantation type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An average of 220 corneal transplants were performed each year over the 10-year period (n=2205). The median recipient age was 45years (range 3 to 102years) and 54.0% of recipients were male. In total 71.8% of transplants were performed in the public health sector. Surgeons in the Auckland metropolitan area performed 47.2% of all corneal transplants. The most common indications for corneal transplantation were: keratoconus (41.1%), repeat transplant (17.0%), aphakic/pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (13.9%), corneal dystrophy (10.7%), keratitis (7.9%) and trauma (3.7%). Overall, penetrating keratoplasty accounted for 90.7% of all corneal transplants, however, during the latter half of the study there was a progressive shift in transplantation type, with deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty and Descemet's stripping endothelial keratoplasty combined accounting for 32.3% of all transplants in the final year of the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This New Zealand National Eye Bank study provides valuable data regarding the indications for corneal transplantation, transplant recipient demographics and changes in transplantation type in New Zealand over the past decade.
authors: New Zealand National Eye Bank, and Department of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: William J
authors: WJ
authors: Cunningham
authors: Nigel H
authors: NH
authors: Brookes
authors: Helen C
authors: HC
authors: Twohill
authors: S Louise
authors: SL
authors: Moffatt
authors: David G C
authors: DG
authors: Pendergrast
authors: Joanna M
authors: JM
authors: Stewart
authors: Charles N J
authors: CN
authors: McGhee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003315:Cornea; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000145:classification / Q000639:trends*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005125:Eye Banks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017150:Public Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult