Endothelial cell loss rate after penetrating keratoplasty: Optical versus therapeutic grafts
Background: This study aimed to compare the rate of endothelial cell loss (ECL) after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) for optical versus therapeutic grafts at 3-, 6-, and 12-month postoperatively. Furthermore, the study aimed to investigate postoperative graft viability and the rate of graft rejection during the first year of follow-up for both indications. Methods: This was a prospective, observational, comparative study that included patients who sought medical advice at the cornea outpatient clinic of Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. The study recruited 60 patients: group 1 included 30 transplanted corneas of 30 patients who underwent optical PKP for various indications, while group 2 included 30 transplanted corneas of 30 patients who underwent therapeutic PKP for unhealed, resistant infectious keratitis. Specular microscopy was performed for all patients at the 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up visits using Nidek CEM-530 specular microscopy. Postoperative clinical examinations were performed at the same follow-up visits to detect graft rejection. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups concerning the postoperative timing of graft clarity or the rate of ECL at 3- and 6-months postoperatively; however, the rate of ECL was significantly greater in group 2 than in group 1 at 12-months postoperatively (P = 0.03), although the difference was small from a clinical point of view. Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the graft rejection rate. Conclusions: Therapeutic PKP results were comparable to optical PKP with respect to graft viability, the rate of ECL, and the rate of graft rejection 1 year after grafting. How to cite this article: Shams A, Abdelmoneim Gaafar A, Elkitkat RS, Omar Yousif M. Endothelial cell loss rate after penetrating keratoplasty: Optical versus therapeutic grafts. Med Hypothesis Discov Innov Ophthalmol. 2021 Summer; 10(2): 74-79. https://doi.org/10.51329/mehdiophthal1424