title: Graft stability after endothelial keratoplasty.
abstract: BACGROUND/AIM: Techniques for replacing the corneal endothelium have been improved. The host-graft interface is the key to graft adhesion and visual recovery. The aim of this study was to establish graft stability after Descemet stripping with endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK), compare it to the graft stability after endothelial keratoplasty with the intact posterior corneal layers (nDSEK) in the rabbit cornea, and to investigate the nature of wound healing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult white rabbits (n = 20) were divided in two experimental groups: ten rabbits underwent monocular DSEK, and ten rabbits underwent endothelial keratoplasty without Descemet stripping (nDSEK). On the second postoperative day a horizontal dislocation of the graft was tried using the Lindstrom roller in each animal. Corneas were processed for the light microscopy study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rolling the Lindstrom instrument over the corneal surface did not cause horizontal dislocation in any of the operated eyes. In the DSEK group light microscopy revealed the lack of inflammation and fibrosis at the clearly distinctive donor-recipient interface (DRI). Retrocorneal membrane was found in two eyes. In nDSEK group, the host Descemet's membrane (DM) was intact without endothelial cells, with good graft apposition, without inflammation, fibrosis, or retrocorneal membrane.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that there is no difference in graft stability in DSEK compared to nDSEK in rabbit corneas. Wounds healed at DRI by hypocellular scarring only in both experimental groups.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.forename: Ljubisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nikolić
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057111:Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival; D023421:Models, Animal; D011817:Rabbits