EFFECTS OF CORNEAL PRESERVATION, DONOR AGE, CADAVER TIME AND POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD ON THE GRAFT ENDOTHELIUM

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Abstract
The endothelia of 102 clear human corneal grafts in 92 patients were photographed in vivo with a specular microscope. The endothelial cell densities of the grafts were counted from an area of 0.01 mm2. The follow-up period averaged 3 yr. The patients ranged from 16-77 yr old and the donors from 8-89 yr old. The average endothelial cell density for all 102 transplants was 1169 .+-. 478 cells/mm2. Corneal transplants stored in MK [McCarey and Kaufman] medium (N [number] = 19) have more cells than cryopreserved grafts (N = 42) or grafts stored in the moist chamber (N = 41); this last group was used as control material. The differences in cell densities were statistically significant. The cell density of cryopreserved grafts was significantly higher than in grafts stored in the moist chamber. The only grafts with endothelial cell density dependent on time were stored in moist chambers. With an increase in cadaver time (time from death to enucleation) the endothelial cell density of the graft decreased. An inverse correlation was found between the cell density of the graft and donor age. Good results were still found with healthy donors over 60 yr. The endothelial cell density of the grafts showed a steady decrease during the long-term post-operative period, the rate of cell loss was much higher in graft endothelium than in normal endothelium during aging.

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