Comparison of two in situ corneal donation technique: morgue trephination or scleracorneal removal technique.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the two different 'in situ' methods of corneal trephination technique under morgue condition (morgue trephination technique, MTT) and classic scleracorneal removal technique (SRT).


METHODS
A total of 1179 cases were evaluated for cornea donation at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine mortuary between the years 2008 and 2013 and were included to the study. Suitable donor corneas were retrieved with in situ trephination technique under morgue condition (group 1, MTT) or with in situ classic SRT (group 2, SRT). The two different 'in situ' methods were compared in terms of donor corneal biological quality (endothelial cell count, ECC) and functional outcome (presence of infection and primary graft failure).


RESULTS
One hundred and fifty-two of 1179 cases were suitable for corneal donation. Two hundred and twenty-nine corneas of 152 cases were transplanted, 108 corneas were obtained with MTT and 121 corneas were obtained with SRT. Pretransplant and post-transplant ECCs were 2402.5 ± 115.6 and 2108.3 ± 108.23 (p = 0.065) in MTT, respectively, and 2512.7 ± 130.4 and 2235.4 ± 201.8 (p = 0.059) in SRT, respectively. The incidence of primary graft failure and infection was not statistically significantly different between two method [2.7% and 1.6% (p = 0.223), 0.9% and 0.8% (p = 0.115)].


CONCLUSIONS
The two different 'in situ' methods, MTT and SRT, were similar in terms of donor ECC, presence of infection and primary graft failure. Cornea excision performed through the technique described herein may increase the corneal donation rates as result of reduced disfigurement to donor body and offer important contributions during surgery with good anatomic adaptation of tissues.
Deparment of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
Erdem
E
Yuksel
Ophthalmology Clinic, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Nilay
N
Yuksel
Deparment of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
Fikret
F
Akata
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D005125:Eye Banks / Q000379:methods*; D015817:Eye Infections / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012590:Sclera / Q000601:surgery*; D014019:Tissue Donors; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D055815:Young Adult
corneal transplantation; donor cornea; eye banking; in situ corneal donation; morgue trephination