title: Histopathological evaluation of anterior lamellar corneal tissue-on/-off storage conditions on DSAEK donor tissue after storage in organ culture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the quality of corneal endothelium of precut Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) tissue when transported with and without the anterior lamellar corneal tissue (ALCT) when organ-culture corneal storage methods are used.
  
  
  METHODS
  After microkeratome-assisted excision of anterior corneal lamella, five pairs of corneas (10 eyes) were stored either with the ALCT on the stroma (five eyes) or with ALCT off the stroma (five eyes) in organ-culture medium. Three pairs (six matched corneas) were left in the transport medium for 24 h prior to the microkeratome cut. Two pairs (four matched corneas) were left in the transport medium for 48 h prior to the microkeratome cut. All cuts were performed using a 300 (four eyes) or 350 (six eyes) microns head. A vital dye assay (alizarin red S and trypan blue) was used to identify devitalized and necrotic endothelial cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all matched cases, there was no difference between the endothelial cell appearance with or without the anterior corneal lamella. In all cases, there was no evidence for trypan blue stained cells beyond that normally seen on acceptable transplantable corneas and there was no evidence of loss of cells or any lifting of Descemet's membrane.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no difference between the quality of the donor endothelial cell appearance with ALCT-on or -off when the donor cornea is stored using the organ-culture system of corneal storage. Organ-culture storage system is a safe and effective system in regard to preparation and transport of donor lenticules for DSAEK.
authors.affiliation: Departemnt of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jhanji
authors.forename: Graeme A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: Adrienne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beltz
authors.forename: Rasik B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Vajpayee
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000880:Anthraquinones; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003315:Cornea; D003470:Culture Media; D057111:Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D005125:Eye Banks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014343:Trypan Blue
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003470:Culture Media; C004468:Alizarin Red S; D014343:Trypan Blue