[Changes in the corneal endothelium after penetrating keratoplasty]

The authors examined 114 corneal transplants after perforating keratoplasty (PK) in 95 patients by a non-contract endothelial microscope. In 86 eyes after PK where the density of endothelial cells before operation was known, they investigated the damage of endothelial transplant cells. The mean follow up period after operation was 3.8 years. Losses of endothelial cells of the central portion of the transplant were highly significant after the first year 34.4% (p < 0.05) and significant after second year following operation-7.7% (p < 0.05). In the investigated group two transplants remained crystal clear despite an endothelial cell density of 500 cells/mm2.