Results of one decade of optical keratoplasty in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND: Keratoplasty in the pediatric population has been considered a high-risk procedure.

OBJECTIVE: To know the demographic data of patients younger than 18 years treated with optical keratoplasty, indications for surgery and its results.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out at Conde de Valenciana Ophthalmology Institute, in which the medical records of patients younger than 18 years treated with optical keratoplasty from 2009 to 2019 were analyzed.

RESULTS: A total of 53 eyes were included. The most common diagnosis and procedure were keratoconus and penetrating keratoplasty, respectively. Mean initial visual acuity was 2.05 ± 0.99 logMAR, and 0.82 ± 1.33 at last visit. Survival time was 130.34 months. Four failures were recorded. As for associated surgeries, corneal wound closure was recorded in seven eyes prior to transplant; during the keratoplasty procedure, anterior vitrectomy in two eyes, and after the transplant, Ahmed valve implantation and re-suture. A total of eight eyes had glaucoma, five of them diagnosed prior to transplantation. Regarding rejection, 15 eyes had an episode during follow-up, and mean time to transplant rejection was 10.8 months.

CONCLUSION: Prolonged graft survival can be achieved with better knowledge and management of different associated factors.