[Needs and technical prerequisites of an improved supply of donor material for penetrating keratoplasty]

The supply of donor material for keratoplasty is still considered a problem in many clinics. Preservation of donor tissue makes it possible to improve material selection. As far as the grafting of typed corneas is concerned, corneal organ culture offers a valuable time interval for planning the operation. In these preservation techniques the transplanted tissue is trephined from the endothelial side. With an optimal trephining technique the number of viable endothelial cells transplanted can be increased.