Evaluation of the relationship between donor graft position and recipient position after endothelium keratoplasty by AS-OCT

Background The advantages of endothelium keratoplasty(EK)include without corneal surface incision and sutures,remaining normal corneal topography,minimizing astigmatism and providing a healthy donor endothelial cell count and function.Using anterior segment optical coherence tomography(AS-OCT) to examine the morphology of the corneal graft after EK is helpful for the evaluation of the outcome of EK.ObjectiveThis study applies AS-OCT to observe the relationship of recipient cornea and donor graft and offer a basis for the evaluation of operative outcome.MethodsThe clinical data from 44 eyes of 42 patient who received DSAEK in Peking University Eye Center from September 2007 through April 2009 was reviewed retrospectively.These patients included 30 male and 12 female with the age from 15 to 83 years.Structure of cornea and relationship between recipient cornea and graft disc after surgery were clinically examined and recorded by slit-lamp digital camera and AS-OCT.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking University.Written informed consent was obtained from all of the patients before the operation.ResultsThe donor graft attached to posterior central surface of recipient in 28 eyes under the slit-lamp microscopy and AS-OCT.The thickness of donor graft was decreased,and graft sticked more closely to recipient cornea and was more transparent with the lapse of time.Complete dislocation of the donor graft in early stage was found in 5 eyes(11.36%) and partial dislocation in 2 eyes(4.55%).Curliness of graft edge occurred in 1 eye(2.27%) and eccentricity of donor graft in 8 eyes(18.18%).ConclusionAS-OCT can display the morphology and structure of cornea as well as the relationship between donor graft and recipient after DSAEK.It is helpful for evaluating the clinical effectiveness of DSAEK. Key words: anterior segment optical coherence tomography; endothelium keratoplasty; donor graft; recipient