[Penetrating keratoplasty--indications with special reference to artificial lens keratopathy]

During the period from 1980 until the beginning of 1986, 1,219 corneal buttons removed in the course of penetrating keratoplasty were histologically examined. In 16.5% (201 cases) a re-keratoplasty was necessary. Indications for a primary corneal transplant (n = 1,018) were keratitis-induced corneal changes (35.0%), dystrophies (30.5%), surgical traumas (17.2%), nonsurgical traumas (11.4%), congenital corneal clouding (3.1%) and degenerations (2.8%). Over the six-and-a-half-year period the incidence of pseudophakic bullous keratopathy was 6.9%, with an increase from 1.6% in 1980 to 12.4% in 1986. Besides an unspecific endothelial cell atrophy, fibroblast-like cell structures, possible macrophages, were found in some specimens by histologic examination on corneal buttons as well as on explanted intraocular lenses.