Cat endothelial morphology after corneal transplant

The cat has been suggested as a superior model to evaluate penetrating keratoplasty and corneal endothelial damage and repair. Morphologic change is felt to be a sensitive indicator of endothelial stress response. We documented corneal thickness and endothelial morphometric parameters of eight cats before and after homograft penetrating keratoplasty using an Eisner contact glass. One-hundred-cell samples from preoperative and 6.18 +/- 0.57 weeks and 9.25 +/- 0.84 months (means +/- standard errors of the means) postoperative photomicrographs were computer analyzed. Cell density (cells/mm2), coefficient of variation of cell area, percent hexagonal cells, and mean figure coefficient were measured. Values are given as means +/- standard errors of the means. Preoperative coefficient of variation for area, 19.1 +/- 0.4, was significantly greater (22.0 +/- 1.0) six weeks after surgery. At nine months, cell density (1487 +/- 114) and percent hexagonal cells (59.6 +/- 2.1) were significantly less than six week values (cell density = 2053 +/- 201, percent hexagonal cells = 68.1 +/- 1.5) and preoperative values (cell density = 2395 +/- 94, percent hexagonal cells = 69.3 +/- 1.1). Thus there is evidence of polymegethism six weeks after surgery and persistent decreased cell density and pleomorphism nine months after surgery.