VITREORETINAL COMPLICATIONS AFTER PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the time, incidence, and visual outcome of vitreoretinal complications after penetrating keratoplasty (PK).


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of 1,594 eyes that underwent PK was conducted. Preoperative characteristics, visual significance, and postoperative vitreoretinal complications were analyzed.


RESULTS
The incidence of vitreoretinal complications after PK was 3.3% (52/1,594). The mean follow-up period was 38.5 ± 29.8 months. The mean time for vitreoretinal complications to occur was 4.8 months. The most common vitreoretinal complication was vitreous hemorrhage (0.75%), and others included choroidal detachment (0.7%), endophthalmitis (0.6%), and retinal detachment (0.5%). Majority of vitreous hemorrhage, endophthalmitis, and choroidal detachment occurred within 1 month postoperatively, but most cases of cystoid macular edema and epiretinal membrane occurred after 3 months. At follow-up after PK, the mean corrected distance visual acuity was worse among eyes that experienced vitreoretinal complications compared with eyes that did not (P = 0.013).


CONCLUSIONS
Vitreoretinal complications after PK occurred in a significant percentage, resulting in persistent reduction of corrected distance visual acuity. Given this, it is of particular importance to control intraoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure, infection, and inflammation which will contribute to decrease in the incidence of vitreoretinal complications after PK.
*Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea; and †Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Yuli
Y
Park
Min Hee
MH
Kim
Jae Yon
JY
Won
Hyun Seung
HS
Kim
Young-Hoon
YH
Park
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*