Fate of endothelium in a corneal graft

An 81-year-old white man with bullous keratopathy received a corneal graft from a 13-month-old donor. The postoperative course has been uneventful. The endothelium of the donor cornea was studied on specular microscopy both before grafting and up to 9 months after surgery. There has been no change in the morphologic characteristics of the corneal endothelium nor has there been any decrease in cell density. The donor endothelium seems to persist for at least 9 months unchanged. This case provides a good illustration since it is not too often that a cornea from a 13-month-old donor is used for grafting in an 81-year-old individual. This experience also gives an indication of the value of specular microscopy as a very useful method to monitor the changes in the endothelium of a corneal graft.