title: Donor Tissue Preparation for Bowman Layer Transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe and compare 2 preparation techniques for Bowman layer (BL) grafts for use in BL transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective evaluation of the 2 methods for preparing BL grafts was performed, that is, BL graft preparation from donor globes not eligible for penetrating keratoplasty or endothelial keratoplasty (technique I, n = 36) and BL graft preparation from previously excised corneoscleral buttons (technique II, n = 36) that could not be used for PK or had been denuded of Descemet membrane and endothelium for Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty graft preparation. BL graft preparation difficulties were recorded, and the preparation failure rate was examined and compared between the techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, BL graft preparation was successful in 51 cases (51/72; 70.8%), of which 25 preparations were successful using technique I, and 26 using technique II, representing a success rate of 69.4% (25/36) and 72.2% (26/36) for techniques I and II, respectively. Reasons for discarding a BL graft were tearing of the BL tissue during the preparation (n = 19) and stroma attached to the graft (n = 2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Isolated BL grafts can be prepared from both whole donor globes and corneoscleral rims with equivalent success. Preparation from corneoscleral rims may offer the advantage that, from one donor cornea, the posterior layers can be used for Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty graft preparation and the anterior part for BL graft preparation.
authors.affiliation: *Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery, Rotterdam, the Netherlands;†Amnitrans Eyebank, Rotterdam, the Netherlands;‡UAB Callahan Eye Hospital, Birmingham, AL; and§Melles Cornea Clinic, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Esther A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Groeneveld-van Beek
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Jessica T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lie
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bourgonje
authors.forename: Lisanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ham
authors.forename: Korine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Wees
authors.forename: Gerrit R J
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Melles
mesh_terms: D050541:Bowman Membrane; D005125:Eye Banks / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014019:Tissue Donors; D016378:Tissue Transplantation; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*