Corneal Transplant

It is important to assess the viability of eye-banked corneas prior to transplantation due to inherent senescence and known loss of endothelial cells during surgical manipulation. Corneal endothelial cells have a complex basal and paracellular shape making them challenging to accurately measure, particularly in oedematous ex vivo tissue. This study used calibrated centroidal Voronoi Diagrams to segment cells in images of these human corneas, in order to characterize endothelial geometry, topology, and phase...

PURPOSE: To assess awareness, barriers, and misconceptions related to eye donation in people with corneal disease as compared to controls in a population setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A population-based study was conducted in 25 randomly selected clusters of Rural Gurgaon, Haryana, India, as part of the CORE (Cornea Opacity Rural Epidemiological) study. In addition to ophthalmic examination, knowledge and perceptions regarding eye donation were assessed through a validated questionnaire...

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to report the 12-year longitudinal trends in indication and corneal transplantation techniques in France from 2004 to 2015. RESULTS: The records of all corneal transplantations performed from 2004 to 2015 in France were retrospectively reviewed. The patient indications and types of transplant performed were analyzed. A total of 46,658 corneal transplantations were performed between 2004 and 2015, with 34,187 (73.3%) penetrating keratoplasty and 10,452 (22...

Purpose: To report a case of neurotrophic keratopathy associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Case Report: A 59-year-old man who had been diagnosed with a nasopharyngeal carcinoma was referred to the authors because of visual disturbance and pain in his right eye. Slit-lamp examination revealed a corneal epithelial defect and corneal stromal edema surrounding the epithelial defect area in his right eye. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass in his cavernous sinus, which was identified as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)...

Objective: Appropriate management of nontraumatic acute corneal perforation is always a challenge even with the many advances in surgical materials and techniques. We reported the outcomes of a case series of acute corneal perforation repair using a newly modified conjunctival flap with amniotic membrane transplant (AMT), fibrin glue, and a bandage soft contact lens (BCL). Materials and Methods: A total of 13 consecutive referral cases with nontraumatic acute corneal perforation at the University of Washington were reviewed...

Wilson's disease (WD) is characterised by a deleterious accumulation of copper in the liver and brain. It is one of those rare genetic disorders that benefits from effective and lifelong treatments that have dramatically transformed the prognosis of the disease. In Europe, its clinical prevalence is estimated at between 1.2 and 2/100,000 but the genetic prevalence is higher, at around 1/7000. Incomplete penetrance of the gene or the presence of modifier genes may account for the difference between the calculated genetic prevalence and the number of patients diagnosed with WD...

Purpose: Therapies for limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) include stem cell (SC) grafts that regenerate the damaged ocular surface. However, the fate of transplanted cells is ill-defined. We addressed this limitation using primary corneal epithelial cells from K14-Confetti mice. Methods: Cultures of primary corneo-limbal epithelia were generated from K14-Confetti (n = 6) and wild-type (WT) (n = 3) mice. Cell phenotype and function was ascertained by immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, quantitative PCR and colony formation...

Purpose: We determine the feasibility of human conjunctival epithelial cells (hCjECs) on poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) membranes for corneal epithelium regeneration. hCjECs on PLGA or polyester (PET) membranes with or without coculture of human Tenon's fibroblasts (hTFs) were compared in vitro, and to determine whether epithelial sheets grown on PLGA membranes can repair injured rabbit corneal epithelium by transplantation for 2 weeks in vivo. Methods: Primary hCjECs were cultured on PLGA or the original PET membrane-based transwell inserts with or without coculture of hTFs on the floor of the culture plate...

PURPOSE: To study distinct aspects of human monocyte-derived macrophage (MDM) activation by human corneal tissue as a possible initial stage in human corneal allograft rejection. METHODS: Human monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and differentiated into MDM. Human corneas with or without endothelium were fragmented using a standardized protocol. MDM were stimulated with human corneal fragments, corneal fragment supernatant, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or interferon-gamma (IFNγ), and expression profiles for 34 cytokines were determined in MDM-conditioned media using a Luminex bead-based multiplex assay...

Purpose: To compare the corneal clarity measurement between penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) in patients with keratoconus, using densitometry software for the Oculus Pentacam. Methods: A retrospective comparative study was carried out at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. Data were collected 12-18 months after corneal transplantation for keratoconus, including postoperative corneal densitometry, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central corneal thickness (CCT), and other relevant clinical details...

Severe damage to ocular surface can result in limbal stem cell (LSC) deficiency, which contributes to loss of corneal clarity, potential vision loss, chronic pain, photophobia, and keratoplasty failure. Human amniotic membrane (AM) is the most effective substrate for LSC transplantation to treat patients with LSC deficiency. However, the widespread use of the AM in the clinic remains a challenge due to the high cost for preserving freshly prepared AMs and the weak mechanical strength of lyophilized AM. Here we developed a novel composite membrane consisting of an electrospun bioabsorbable polymer fiber mesh bonded to a decellularized AM (dAM) sheet through interfacial conjugation...

Atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) is the most severe type of allergic conjunctivitis and may eventually lead to blindness. Although AKC is reported to be more prevalent in adults, we report a child with AKC whose clinical characteristics were not inconsistent with those typically seen in adult patients with AKC, and who was refractory to traditional topical anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant therapies. An 11-year-old boy presented with a 3-month history of ocular redness and itching and decreased vision for a week in both eyes...

PURPOSE: The prevalence of pseudophakia increases with age and affects more than 30% of people older than 80 years. Because grafts from older donors seem to be more suitable for Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) surgery rather than grafts from younger donors, eye bank technicians and corneal surgeons have to deal with corneas from pseudophakic donors for DMEK graft preparation. However, graft preparation from corneas of pseudophakic donors can be more complicated. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed our donor registry for the prevalence of pseudophakia...

PURPOSE: To describe inadvertent persistent staining of stromal amyloid deposits by trypan blue (TB) after penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) performed in patients with corneal amyloidosis. METHODS: Case series of patients with corneal amyloidosis in whom intraoperative TB was used. RESULTS: One patient, hospitalized for acute rejection 6 weeks after DMEK, presented with an intense blue staining of small, spindle-shaped structures in the anterior half of the cornea...

Cystinosis is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the CTNS gene. Main dysfunction is a defective clearance of cystine from lysosomes that leads to accumulation of cystine crystals in every tissue of the body. There are three different forms: infantile nephropathic cystinosis, which is the most common form, juvenile nephropatic, and non-nephropathic cystinosis. Mostly, first symptom in infantile nephropathic cystinosis is renal Fanconi syndrome that occurs within the first year of life...

BACKGROUND: In most countries, the amount of corneal graft tissue available for transplantation is insufficient to meet demand. In 2010, there were 459 patients on the waiting list for corneal transplantation (WLCT) in Espirito Santo (ES), a Brazilian state with 3,885,000 inhabitants. Several strategies were implemented to reduce the number of individuals on the WLCT, which reached zero in 2011. Studies on the evolution of corneal donation contribute to reducing the WLCT worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe the evolution of corneal donation in ES and the profile of corneal donors from 2010 to 2013...

Objectives: To investigate the long-term efficacy and results of surgical management of conjunctival melanoma reconstructed with amniotic membrane transplantation. Materials and Methods: Conjunctival melanoma in 10 patients (5 female, 5 male) was totally excised with adjunctive cryotherapy to the surgical margins, corneal epitheliectomy with absolute alcohol in cases of corneal involvement, lamellar sclerectomy in cases with episcleral involvement, and ocular surface grafting with cryopreserved amniotic membrane...

Purpose: CD4+LAP+ T cells are newly discovered regulatory T cells (Tregs). The aim of this study is to investigate the balance of Th1/Th2 and LAP+Tregs/Th17 in mice after allogeneic corneal transplantation. Methods: A total of 65 mice received orthotopic penetrating transplantation. According to the survival scores of the grafts, the mice were divided into the rejection group and the survival group 3 weeks after transplantation. Th1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cells in the ipsilateral drainage lymph nodes and spleens were measured with flow cytometry...

Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) can result from a variety of corneal disorders, including chemical and thermal burns, infections, and autoimmune diseases. The symptoms of LSCD may include irritation, epiphora, blepharospasms, photophobia, pain, and decreased vision. There are a number of treatment options, ranging from nonsurgical treatments for mild LSCD to various forms of surgery that involve different cell types cultured on various substrates. Ex vivo expansion of limbal epithelial cells (LEC) involves the culture of LEC harvested either from the patient, a living relative, or a cadaver on a substrate in the laboratory...

Bradykinin (BK) has been demonstrated to induce proliferation in several types of cell in ex vivo corneas. However, the mechanisms underlying the action of BK on corneal endothelial cells (CECs) remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of BK on rabbit corneal endothelial cell (RCEC) proliferation, and assess the involvement of the zonula occludens‑1(ZO‑1)/ZO‑1associated nucleic acid binding protein (ZONAB) pathway. Cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution was analyzed following treatment with BK (0...