title: Indications for and techniques of keratoplasty at Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the indications for and techniques of corneal transplantation at Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology (VNIO) over a period of 12y (2002-2013).
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of patients who had undergone corneal transplantation at VNIO from January 1, 2002 to January 1, 2014 were reviewed to determine the indication for and type of corneal transplant performed. Patient age, gender, indication for corneal transplantation and surgical technique were recorded and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Corneal transplantation were underwent in 1390 eyes of 1278 patients with a mean age of 44.9±18.1y during the period under review. The most common indication was infectious corneal ulcer (n=670; 48.2%), followed by corneal scar (n=333, 24.0%), corneal dystrophy (n=138, 9.9%) and failed graft (n=112, 8.1%). Nearly all procedures performed were penetrating keratoplasty (n=1300, 93.5%), with a few lamellar keratoplasty procedures performed: lamellar keratoplasty (n=52, 3.7%), Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (n=27, 1.9%) and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (n=11, 0.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the most common indication for keratoplasty was infectious keratitis, nearly all indications for corneal transplantation were managed with penetrating keratoplasty. However, lamellar keratoplasty techniques, including deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty and Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty, are being performed with increasing frequency for isolated stromal and endothelial disorders, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Pham Ngoc
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Truong Nhu
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Stein Eye Institute, the University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7003, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Aldave
authors.affiliation: Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Hoang Thi Minh
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chau
keywords: endothelial keratoplasty; indication for keratoplasty; lamellar keratoplasty; penetrating keratoplasty; technique of keratoplasty