RESUMO
Forty-five corneal buttons, obtained through penetrating keratoplasty performed during the last one year, were subjects to histopathological examination. Buttons were divided into groups according to preoperative clinical diagnosis. Pathological findings confirmed clinical diagnosis in all cases. Futhermore, histopathology of buttons obtained from scarred corneas, keratoconus, corneal dystrophies, herpetic keratitis, corneal decompensation, corneal blood-staining, disciform keratitis, buphthalmos and a fascinating central corneal dermolipoma, revealed a number of interesting features that may help in a better understanding of corneal disease. In the group of buttons belonging to corneal regrafting, primary tissue failure was detected more commonly [5 out of 9] than allograft rejection [2 out of 9]