Surgical Results of Repeat Penetrating Keratoplasty and Risk Factors for Graft Failure

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the primary indications, surgical outcomes, causes and risk factors for failure in patients with repeat corneal transplantation. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed indications for the initial corneal graft, best corrected visual acuity, survival period, corneal clarity, cause and risk factor for failure in 42 patients (45 eyes) who underwent repeat penetrating keratoplasty with a minimum follow-up period of 6 months. RESULTS: The most common primary indications were herpes simplex keratitis (21.4%), followed by corneal scar (19.0%) and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (9.0%). The average period of repeat corneal transplantation was 19.1 +/- 24.9 months. The most common cause of the failure of penetrating keratoplasty was allograft rejection(79.3%). The risk factors of graft failure were corneal neovascularization, chronic inflammation and the number of regrafts. CONCLUSION: The most common primary indication of repeat corneal transplantation was herpes simplex keratitis. The mean survival period was about 19 months. The factors that appeared to influence the survival period of repeat corneal transplantation were the corneal neovascularization, chronic inflammation and the number of regrafts.