Outcome of therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty in advanced infectious keratitis

This study aimed to evaluate the anatomical, therapeutic, and functional outcome of therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (TPK) in terms of success and failure.

In this retrospective study 57 eyes of 57 patients were reviewed. They had undergone TPK from December 2012 to June 2017. Data analyzed included the baseline demographic features and characteristics, preoperative diagnosis, and postoperative outcomes. The baseline characteristics included age, gender, laterality, indications of TPK, lens status, size of the recipient, grade of the graft, organisms identified, preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), secondary procedures, adjunctive surgical procedure, postoperative BCVA at last follow-up, intraocular pressure (IOP), and long-term complications of TPK. The ultimate outcome of TPK was observed in terms of anatomical, therapeutic, and functional outcome which indicated the success and failure.

A total of 57 eyes of 57 with an age range of 2-76-year-old patients who underwent TPK were included in the study. Perforated corneal ulcer was a major indication of TPK in 32 (56.1%) cases. Anatomical success was obtained overall in 49 (85.96%) cases. Indications of TPK and preoperative visual acuity, complications of TPK, and ultimate graft clarity showed significant impact on the anatomical outcome (P = 0.03, P = 0.00, P = 0.00, and P = 0.05), respectively. The therapeutic and functional success was observed in 51 (89.47%) and 40 (70.17%) cases, respectively.

Perforated corneal ulcers was the major indication for TPK. Indications and complications significantly affect the anatomical, therapeutic, and functional outcome.