Early Complications After Penetrating Keratoplasty

Abstract

Although endothelial keratoplasty has gained increasing popularity over the last decade in the US, penetrating keratoplasty (PK) continues to have a role in the treatment of corneal diseases. This is especially true in developing nations where endothelial keratoplasty has not been popularized, and where isolated endothelial disease is much less common. In these situations, PK is still indicated. As with any surgical procedure, PK carries with it complications that can threaten the success of the procedure, including wound-related issues, ocular surface disease, infections, and suture-related complications. This article will review the various aspects of early complications after PK occurring within the first 2 months of surgery, along with management techniques. A review of the current literature was performed via a Medline search using the keywords “penetrating keratoplasty,” “complications,” “cornea,” and “transplant.” All articles containing descriptions of early postoperative complications after PK were reviewed, and the more commonly encountered complications are discussed in this article.

Lost to follow-up: reasons and characteristics of patients undergoing corneal transplantation at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya, East Africa

“…Long-term follow-up is necessary to maximize the chance of graft survival, given the potential postoperative complications of PKP, such as graft rejection, traumatic dehiscence, increased intraocular pressure leading to glaucoma, infectious keratitis and suture-related complications [ 5 ]. Maximizing the chance of graft survival is important, not only because the risk for graft failure increases with each subsequent transplant [ 6 ], but also because of the global shortage of donor corneas, with an estimated single donor for every 70 recipients worldwide [ 3 ].…”