gms | German Medical Science

102. Jahrestagung der DOG

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft e. V.

23. bis 26.09.2004, Berlin

Evaluation of clinical condition and in-vivo confocal microscopy of corneal grafts 30 and more years after penetrating keratoplasty

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author J.P. Szaflik - Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Warsaw
  • G. Minkiewicz-Timler - Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Warsaw
  • J. Szaflik - Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Warsaw

Evidenzbasierte Medizin - Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. 102. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft. Berlin, 23.-26.09.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. Doc04dogFR.09.09

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dog2004/04dog242.shtml

Published: September 22, 2004

© 2004 Szaflik et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Objective

Assessment of clinical condition and confocal microscopy of the corneal grafts of patients who undergone penetrating keratoplasty, 30 and more years after the surgery.

Methods

8 patients (9 eyes) who undergone penetrating keratoplasty in our Ophthalmology Department from 30 to 42 years ago were enrolled into the study. Visual acuity, slit lamp evaluation, pachymetry, esthesiometry and confocal microscopy of the corneal layers with the special emphasis to endothelium evaluation were performed.

Results

In 6 studied cases the transparency of the corneal grafts enables patients to obtain useful visual acuity. 2 eyes undergone retransplantation in over 20 years after the initial surgery. One patient is now qualified for the retransplantation because of the decompensation of the corneal graft. The morphological changes in the grafts' structure are being described.

Conclusions

Corneal grafts after penetrating keratoplasty may remain transparency and their function for 30 and more years after the surgery.