Therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty in severe infective keratitis using glycerol-preserved donor corneas

• Published in: Cornea Vol. 31; no. 10; p. 1103
• Main Authors: Yang, Ju-Wen, Lin, Hsin-Chiung, Hsiao, Ching-Hsi, Chen, Phil Y F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Corneal Perforation - microbiology; Corneal Perforation - surgery; Corneal Ulcer - microbiology; Corneal Ulcer - surgery; Eye Infections, Bacterial - microbiology; Eye Infections, Bacterial - surgery; Eye Infections, Fungal - microbiology; Eye Infections, Fungal - surgery; Female; Fungi - isolation & purification; Glycerol; Humans; Keratoplasty, Penetrating; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Tissue Donors; Tissue Preservation - methods; Treatment Outcome; Visual Acuity - physiology
• ISSN: 1536-4798
• DOI: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e31821c9ba2

To report the surgical outcome of therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (TPKP) using glycerol-preserved donor corneas in severe infective keratitis. Glycerol-preserved corneas were obtained from the recipient corneas of the patients who underwent optical penetrating keratoplasty and preserved in glycerol. Eight eyes of 8 patients (3 men/5 women; average age, 69.7 years) with severe corneal ulcer with perforation were treated with TPKP using glycerol-preserved corneas. With a mean follow-up time of 31.1 months (range, 9-58 months), satisfactory anatomical integrity was obtained in 7 patients (87.5%) at the end of the follow-up. Eradication of infection without recurrence was obtained in 7 eyes (87.5%). The mean reepithelialization time was 10.2 days. One patient (12.5%) received secondary optical penetrating keratoplasty. The pre-TPKP visual acuity ranged from no light perception to 0.06. After surgery, 4 eyes (50%) improved or maintained preoperative visual acuity and four eyes (50%) had no light perception but maintained anatomical integrity. One had a recurrent infection and needed antibiotics and amniotic membrane graft. One suffered from secondary glaucoma and received evisceration 19 months later. Glycerol-preserved donor corneas may be effective substitutes in TPKP to control severe infective keratitis and preserve anatomical integrity.