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Updated: Sep 5, 2025
Corneal Donor Tissue Preparation for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Published on: September 17, 2014
The effect of anterior segment parameters on surgical success of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty: a
Semih Çakmak1, Ahmet Kirgiz2, Yusuf Yildirim2
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Beyoglu Eye Training and Research Hospital, 34420, Istanbul, Turkey. semihnr@hotmail.com.
Purpose:
To investigate how anterior segment parameters affect the success of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in patients with endothelial insufficiency without stromal opacities and to identify factors predisposing them to repeat keratoplasty.
Methods:
Our prospective observational study included patients who underwent primary DMEK for Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy between March 2019 and March 2020. After a detailed ophthalmologic examination, corneal topographic analysis, anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) scans, endothelial cell density (ECD) and axial length (AL) measurements were performed. Surgical success was defined as no endothelial dysfunction during follow-up. Changes in the parameters and how preoperative parameters affect surgical success were investigated.
Results:
In 43 eyes of 43 patients (mean age: 68.58 ± 8.51 years), mean visual acuity was 1.73 ± 0.74 LogMAR before DMEK and 0.31 ± 0.29 LogMAR in the final visit. Central corneal thickness (CCT, p = 0.026) and mean anterior chamber depth (ACD, p = 0.001) affected surgical success. Preoperative CCT values greater than 770 µm increased the risk of repeat keratoplasty by 8.75-fold, whereas preoperative ACD values less than 2.5 mm increased the risk by 2.92-fold.
Conclusion:
Preoperative higher CCT and lower ACD values were associated with surgical failure after DMEK. Early surgery may be considered for more successful results.
Trial Registration:
This prospective study has been registered on the ClinicalTrials.gov system with the registration number NCT04420429 on 06/06/2020.
