Endothelial cell denity after poterior lamellar keratoplaty (Melle technique): 3 year follow-up

Purpoe To report the midterm endothelial cell denity meaurement after poterior lamellar keratoplaty (Melle technique). Deign Cohort tudy. Method Fifteen conecutive eye of 15 patient in whom a poterior lamellar keratoplaty procedure wa performed for peudophakic bullou keratopathy or Fuchʹ endothelial dytrophy were evaluated. In 11 cornea the donor tiue wa inerted through a 9.0-mm clerocorneal pocket inciion (technique A); in four cae the donor wa folded and inerted through a 5.0-mm inciion (technique B). pecular microcopy wa performed at 6, 12, 24, and 36 month after urgery, to meaure the endothelial cell denity. Reult Mean potoperative endothelial cell denity averaged 2,126 cell/mm2 (±548) at 6 month, 1,859 cell/mm2 (±477) at 12 month, 1,385 cell/mm2 (±451) at 24 month, and 1,047 cell/mm2 (±425) at 36 month. Concluion In poterior lamellar keratoplaty, the donor corneal endothelium howed a decreae in cell denity imilar to that after conventional full-thickne penetrating keratoplaty.