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Updated: Aug 22, 2026
Corneal Donor Tissue Preparation for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Published on: September 17, 2014
Penetrating keratoplasty performed by residents
Ethan M Kutzscher1, Andrew L Sorenson, Daniel F Goodman
1Cornea Service, Department of Ophthalmology, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA. ethankutzscher@yahoo.com
Objective:
To report the results of penetrating keratoplasty performed by residents.
Method:
A retrospective medical record review of all patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty performed by residents at our institution from April 1998 to April 2002.
Results:
Forty penetrating keratoplasty procedures were performed by 8 residents. The most common indication was keratoconus (17 eyes [43%]), followed by corneal scarring (14 eyes [35%]). Mean preoperative best-corrected visual acuity was 20/250. No intraoperative complications were reported. Mean follow-up time was 15 months. Postoperatively, mean best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40, mean postoperative astigmatism was 3.4 +/- 2.1 diopters, and graft survival was 92.5%. Postoperative complications included elevated intraocular pressure, wound dehiscence, and endophthalmitis.
Main Outcome Measures:
Best-corrected visual acuity, postoperative astigmatism, graft survival, and intraoperative and postoperative complications.
Conclusion:
Residents can be introduced to penetrating keratoplasty and achieve surgical success with intraoperative and postoperative complication rates similar to those previously published.
