Cadaver storage time. An important factor in donor cornea survival

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Transplantation Science
• Postmortem Biology

Background:

• Endothelial cell viability is critical for successful eye transplantation.
• Cadaver storage conditions can impact tissue integrity and graft survival.
• Understanding the timeline of postmortem tissue changes is essential for optimizing organ preservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of cadaver storage duration on ocular endothelial cell survival.
• To determine the optimal time window for eye enucleation after death to maximize tissue viability.
• To assess the influence of postmortem interval on the efficacy of refrigerated eye storage.

Main Methods:

• Rabbit eyes were utilized to model the effects of postmortem interval and storage on endothelial survival.
• Eyes were subjected to varying durations of cadaver storage before enucleation and refrigerated storage.
• The temperature reversal effect was employed as an indicator of endothelial cell viability.

Main Results:

• Eyes enucleated promptly after death showed minimal deterioration after one week of refrigeration.
• Eyes remaining in the cadaver for 1-4 hours postmortem exhibited progressive endothelial deterioration.
• The extent of deterioration increased with both the postmortem interval before enucleation and the duration of subsequent refrigerated storage.

Conclusions:

• Early eye enucleation postmortem is paramount for preserving endothelial cell viability.
• Prolonged retention of eyes within the cadaver significantly compromises their ability to survive refrigerated storage.
• Optimizing the timing of eye removal is critical for successful ocular tissue preservation and transplantation outcomes.