[Corneal donation : Dilemma between growing demand and declining donor rate].
BACKGROUND
One of the most important requirements for successful corneal transplantation is the availability of donor tissue and thus the approval for postmortem corneal tissue donation. The aim of this study was to investigate donor willingness compared to the continuously increasing demand in recent years.


METHODS
Archives of the local eye bank at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Germany in the time period between 1 July 2011 and 31 December 2015 were examined regarding the willingness for corneal donations in deceased patients from the University Hospital of Cologne. Absolute numbers of deceased, exclusion criteria for donation as well as the rate of negative and affirmative decisions were evaluated.


RESULTS
In 235 (5.1 %) out of 4593 deceased at the University Hospital of Cologne, corneal donation was accomplished during the observation period. Of the patients 2923 (63.6 %) were excluded because of absolute contraindications for corneal donation and the rate of absolute contraindications increased from 46.6 % in 2011 to 68.9 % in 2015. Willingness for corneal donation in potentially suitable deceased patients diminished from 34.9 % in 2011, to 34.3 % in 2012, 35.5 % in 2013, 28.4 % in 2014 and to 24.1 % in 2015. In relation to the total number of deceased, the number of corneal tissue donations decreased from 11.5 % in 2011 to 3.5 % in 2015.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite a rising demand, data from Cologne seem to indicate that the number of corneal donations has declined to some extent. In order to increase the number of corneal donors in the future, further educational work as well as standardization and optimization of the tissue donation process seem to be urgently needed.
Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität zu Köln, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland. friederike.schaub@uk-koeln.de.
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F
Schaub
Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität zu Köln, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland.
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HG
Simons
Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität zu Köln, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland.
P
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Enders
Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität zu Köln, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland.
B O
BO
Bachmann
Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität zu Köln, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland.
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Roters
Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität zu Köln, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland.
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Cursiefen
Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität zu Köln, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland.
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LM
Heindl
D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D005125:Eye Banks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D014600:Utilization Review
Corneal donation; Corneal transplants; Eye bank; Organ donation; Tissue