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[The significance of tissue storage time for success after corneal transplantation]
N Ardjomand1, A Berghold, P Komericki
1Universitäts-Augenklinik, Graz.
Background:
HLA-DR antigen plays a key role in transplantation immunology. Organ culture storage leads to loss of HLA-DR-positive corneal Langerhans cells. This study investigates the importance of prolonged storage period for the success rate after penetrating keratoplasty.
Patients And Material:
Eighty-four patients with 99 penetrating corneal transplantations were examined retrospectively. Group 1 represented keratoplasty patients with an average corneal storage period of 1.9 days (+/- 1.4) and in group 2 the patients received tissues stored for 9.8 days (+/- 4.7).
Results:
The success rate of high-risk patients was 34.4% (+/- 8.7) in group 1 and 69.2% (+/- 12) in group 2 after 18 months (p < 0.01). In non-risk patients we had a success quota of 72.7% (+/- 8.2) in group 1 and 91% (+/- 6.1) in group 2 (p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
We found significantly better results in patients receiving tissues stored for an average time of 9.8 days than in those receiving corneas preserved for 1.9 days. The results are thought to be based on the loss of HLA-DR-positive cells during prolonged organ culture preservation.