Purpose:To determine the factors that influence the endothelial cell density (ECD) of donor grafts after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK).Methods:This retrospective, interventional case series comprised 77 eyes of 64 patients who underwent DSAEK. Confocal microscopy was performed at the final follow-up examination to evaluate the endothelial cell count, cell morphology, and graft thickness. Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate recipient-, donor-, surgical-, and postoperative related variables capable of influencing graft endothelial cell counts after DSAEK.Results:The mean patient age was 62.3 ± 15.6 years; patients were followed-up for 26.2 ± 20.9 months postoperatively. Forty-six eyes (59.7%) underwent stand-alone DSAEK; 31 eyes (40.3%) underwent DSAEK combined with cataract surgery. The donor trephination size was 8.0 ± 0.21 mm. The mean donor age was 30.4 ± 11.2 years, and the mean preoperative endothelial cell density was 3127.4 ± 315.1 cells/mm2, which decreased to 1788.6 ± 716.5 cells/mm2 postoperatively (P < 0.001). The mean postoperative central graft thickness was 102.4 ± 31.6 μm. Univariate analysis revealed that postoperative ECD was significantly associated with death to preservation time (P = 0.046), graft thickness (P = 0.016), follow-up duration (P = 0.005), and graft non-attachment (P = 0.049). Multiple regression analyses identified graft thickness (β = 10.62, P = 0.003) and follow-up duration (β = -22.09, P = 0.001) as the significant characteristics influencing postoperative ECD.Conclusion:The primary predictors of ECD after DSAEK were graft thickness and duration of follow-up. Surgeons’ requests for ultrathin DSAEK donor grafts to improve visual outcomes might not have the desired postoperative outcome with respect to ECD.
The prognosis for repeat keratoplasty was excellent, and the outcomes of secondary grafts were comparable to those of primary DALK grafts. However, the rate of rejection with secondary grafts was high, necessitating close follow-up after PK and repeat DALK performed for failed DALK.
Purpose:To compare clinical and confocal scan outcomes after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) performed for Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy (FED) versus pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (PBK).Methods:This retrospective comparative study included 47 consecutive eyes of 39 patients with the diagnosis of FED (n = 29, group 1) or PBK (n = 18, group 2) that underwent DSAEK. Clinical outcomes were compared between the study groups. At the final follow-up examination, confocal microscopy was used to measure and compare central corneal and graft thickness as well as endothelial cell density and morphology between the two groups.Results:Mean age at the time of surgery was 65.2 ± 11.8 and 69.4 ± 12.5 years in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = 0.27). Follow-up period was 23.6 ± 14.0 months in group 1 and 25.6 ± 15.7 months in group 2 (P = 0.79). Postoperative best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was significantly better in group 1 than in group 2 until postoperative month 6. Afterwards, the two study groups were comparable in this regard. At the final follow-up examination, spherical equivalent refractive error was + 0.39 ± 1.46 diopters (D) in group 1 and + 0.80 ± 1.47 D in group 2 (P = 0.45). Postoperative keratometric astigmatism was 1.02 ± 0.83 D and 2.36 ± 0.67 D, respectively (P < 0.001). Mean central graft thickness was 98.0 ± 33.3 μm in group 1 and 107.6 ± 28.0 μm in group 2 (P = 0.45). No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the postoperative endothelial cell density.Conclusion:The outcomes of DSAEK surgery were comparable between FED and PBK. All grafts were clear despite the lower than normal endothelial cell counts.
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