Histopathological evaluation of anterior lamellar corneal tissue-on/-off storage conditions on DSAEK donor tissue after storage in organ culture.

Purpose: To compare the quality of corneal endothelium of precut Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) tissue when transported with and without the anterior lamellar corneal tissue (ALCT) when organ-culture corneal storage methods are used.

Methods: After microkeratome-assisted excision of anterior corneal lamella, five pairs of corneas (10 eyes) were stored either with the ALCT on the stroma (five eyes) or with ALCT off the stroma (five eyes) in organ-culture medium. Three pairs (six matched corneas) were left in the transport medium for 24 h prior to the microkeratome cut.