ABSTRACT
To test the safety of using cardiac death donation ( DCD ) corneas for penetrating keratoplasty surgery graft.METHODS:ln chronological order, suing DCD corneas penetrating keratoplasty, corneal endothelial cell density and best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA) were tested 3~4mo after surgery.RESULTS:A total of 14 cases of DCD while 26 corneas were included in this study. Donors age ranged 0. 5 ~61 years, averagely 38. 3 ± 15. 6 years. Causes of death included that 9 cases of traumatic brain injury, 2 cases myocardial infarction, 2 cases brain stem hemorrhage, 1 case of respiratory and circulatory failure. All 26 patients underwent penetrating keratoplasty, no rejection occurred and all grafts were transparent 3 ~ 4mo after surgery. Three to four months after surgery, corneal endothelial cell density ranged 794 ~ 4 347/mm2 , averaged 2 305 ± 827/mm2 , within which was only one case was lower than 1000/mm2 (3. 8%), while 9 cases ranged from 1000 ~ 2000/mm2 (34. 6%), 16 cases were higher than 2000/mm2 (61. 5%). The age of all the 26 receipts were from 20~80 years, mean 40. 7±17. 1 years. BCVA before surgery was light perception positive to 0. 08, with an average 0. 027±0. 024. Three to four months after surgery, BCVA were 0. 2~0. 8, with an average 0. 52± 0. 182 in contrast (t=3. 96, P<0. 001).CONCLUSlON:DCD donated corneas could be used for penetrating keratoplasty graft with high security.