ABSTRACT
Purpose: To evaluate and compare the biomechanical properties of the eye bank?prepared and surgeon prepared Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) tissues. Methods: In this laboratory study, corneal tissues for research were randomly allocated in the following groups: a) surgeon?cut DSAEK and b) eye bank?prepared (pre?cut and pre?loaded) DSAEK. Endothelial cell loss (ECL), immunostaining for tight junction protein ZO?1, elastic modulus, and adhesion force were investigated. Results: ECL was not found to be significantly different between surgeon?cut DSAEK (7.8% ±6.5%), pre?cut DSAEK (8.6% ±2.3%), and pre?loaded DSAEK (11.1% ±4.8%) (P = 0.5910). ZO?1 was expressed equally across all groups. Surgeon?cut DSAEK grafts showed a significantly higher elastic modulus compared to pre?cut and pre?loaded DSAEK groups (P = 0.0047 and P < 0.0001, respectively). Adhesion force was significantly greater in the surgeon?cut DSAEK compared to pre?cut (P < 0.0001) or pre?loaded DSAEK groups (P = 0.0101). Conclusion: The laboratory data on the biomechanics of DSAEK grafts suggests that surgeon?cut DSAEK grafts present higher elastic modulus and adhesion force compared to eye bank?prepared DSAEK grafts.