Outcome of Urgent Penetrating Keratoplasty for Corneal Ulcer at Thammasat University Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the eye integrity preservation after urgent penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) for corneal ulcer at Thammasat University Hospital.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective review of patients who underwent urgent PKP between September 2005 and January 2015 was conducted. Demographic data, predisposing factors, organisms, indication for surgery, time of urgent corneal graft registry, and preservation rate of eye integrity were analyzed.

RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (55 eyes) registered for urgent corneal graft registry from eye bank and 22 eyes underwent urgent PKP There were 14 males (63.6%) and 8 females (36.4%). A mean age was 55.9±15.4 years. The most common predisposing factor was ocular trauma in 11 eyes (50.0%) and the most common indication for surgery was severe corneal ulcer in 11 eyes (50.0%). The mean time of urgent corneal graft registiy was 22.1±1 7.2 days (3-70 days). The present study could preserve eye integrity in post urgent PKP in 18 eyes (81.8%). Other 4 eyes (18.2%) could not preserve the eye integrity. In 33 eyes who did not underwent urgent PKP 20 eyes (60.6%) could preserve eye integrity, 10 eyes (30.3%) underwent primary evisceration and 3 eyes (9.1%) underwent primary enucleation due to extensive ocular infection.

CONCLUSION: Urgent PKP of corneal ulcer could provide satisfactory in eye integrity preservation.