Endothelium and pachymetry of clear corneal graft 15 to 33 year after penetrating keratoplaty

PURPOE: To evaluate long-term endothelial cell count and thickne of clear corneal graft after penetrating keratoplaty. METHOD: pecular microcopy and ultraonic pachymetry were performed in 20 eye (14 eye that were keratoconu, three aphakic/peudophakic bullou keratopathy, one Fuch dytrophy, one had herpetic keratiti, and one avacular car after injury) of 18 patient (mean age ± D 58 ± 15 year; range, 34 to 82 year) with a mean follow-up of 22 ± 6 year (range, 15 to 33 year). REULT: Mean endothelial cell count wa 808 ± 194 cell per mm2 (range, 575 to 1243 cell/mm2), and thickne wa 608 ± 75 μm (range, 430 to 751 μm). Endothelial cell count wa neither correlated with thickne (P = .25, r2 = .08) nor with follow-up interval (P = .31, r2 = .028). We oberved predominantly enlarged endothelial cell and mild polymegethim. No graft rejection were recorded. CONCLUION: Depite a reduced cell denity, the dehydration function of the endothelium may till be ufficient in corneal graft up to 33 year after penetrating keratoplaty.