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Penetrating keratoplasty in Jordan successful with local, imported donor tissue
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Penetrating keratoplasty was successful in a large majority of cases with both local and imported donor corneas, according to a study conducted in Jordan.
The retrospective study included 146 patients who underwent PK; 71 patients received local corneas, and 75 patients received donor corneas from the United States. Mean patient age was 33.1 years in the local tissue group and 30.5 years in the imported tissue group, while mean donor age was 37.6 years in the local tissue group and 45.6 years in the imported tissue group. The difference in donor age was significant (P < .015).
Mean follow-up was 30 months.
PK was most commonly indicated for keratoconus (67.8% of cases) and corneal opacity (11% of cases).
Mean preservation-to-surgery time was 4.5 days in the local tissue group and 8.6 days in the imported tissue group. The difference was statistically significant (P < .001). However, the time difference did not have a significant impact on graft success.
At 18 months postoperatively, success rates were 86% in the local tissue group and 88% in the imported tissue group; the difference was not statistically significant.
Mean visual acuity improved significantly in both groups (P < .001). Mean best corrected visual acuity improved from 0.08 preoperatively to 0.3 postoperatively in the local tissue group and from 0.07 preoperatively to 0.34 postoperatively in the imported tissue group; the between-group difference was not significant.
“Since mid-2004, imported corneas from the United States have been a valuable source of donor corneas in our hospital and country,” the study authors said. “Despite long-term storage, older donor age and air transportation, there was no significant difference between the two groups except in the preservation-to-surgery time, which did not affect the success rate, and the graft survival profiles were comparable with those achieved in Western series.” – by Matt Hasson
Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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