Corneal epithelial healing after penetrating keratoplasty using topical Healon versus balanced salt solution

The authors conducted a prospective study of 38 consecutive corneal transplant patients over a five-and-one-half month period in order to evaluate the effect of intraoperative hydration with topical Healon versus balanced salt solution on postoperative epithelial healing in the corneal graft. Eight independent variables, including patient age, sex, operating room time, donor age, donor time in McCarey-Kaufman media, intraoperative hydration with balanced salt solution versus Healon, and the amount of postoperative punctate epithelial keratitis measured on postoperative day 1, day 2, and at one week were compared using a multiple linear regression method. While the correlation between donor age (p = .060) and patient age (p = .088) with the amount of punctate epithelial keratitis at one week post graft approached statistical significance, only the Healon-treated group showed a high correlation to more complete graft healing one week postoperatively (p = 0.002). Topical Healon during keratoplasty may foster epithelial healing, but it also may present technical challenges of which the surgeon should be aware.