National Consensus on Contraindications for Corneal Donation for Transplantation in Switzerland.

Purpose: To establish a national consensus on contraindications for corneal donation for transplantation in Switzerland.

Methods: Swisstransplant (SWT), the Swiss national foundation coordinating tissue and organ donations, convened a working group consisting of six national corneal surgeons and eye bankers and donation experts to create a contraindication list for corneal donation. The group reviewed available national and international guidelines and recommendations, while adhering to Swiss law and transplant regulations.

[The 2021 Activity Report of the Tissue Transplantation and Biotechnology Section of the German Ophthalmological Society].

The Section on Tissue Transplantation and Biotechnology of the German Ophthalmologic Society presented its 11th annual report for the year 2021. The number of corneal samples has still risen in comparison to former years. Nevertheless, there is still a need for import of transplants from abroad.

[The 2018 Activity Report of the Tissue Transplantation and Biotechnology Section of the German Ophthalmological Society].

The Section on Tissue Transplantation and Biotechnology presented its 9th annual report. On the one hand, the number of cornea samples has risen to 10,840, of which 7168 have been transplanted. On the other hand, 1340 transplants have still been imported from abroad and more than 3300 patients were waiting for a transplant at the end of the year.

Rejection Prophylaxis in Corneal Transplant.

Background: Graft rejection. Twenty to thirty percent of patients with corneal transplants experience at least one rejection episode in the first 5 years after transplantation. Prophylaxis through matching for human leukocyte antigens (HLA) is controversial.

Trends in Corneal Transplantation from 2001 to 2016 in Germany: A Report of the DOG-Section Cornea and its Keratoplasty Registry.

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective panel study was to provide an overview of absolute numbers and of trends in the types of and indications for corneal transplantation in Germany from 2001 to 2016.

Methods: A questionnaire about absolute numbers, types of transplantation, and indications was sent to 111 ophthalmologic departments in Germany, out of which 94 (85%) provided their data.

Results: Since the year 2001, the number of corneal transplantations has increased by 1.

Simultaneous transplantation of limbal stem cells may reduce recurrences of granular dystrophy after corneal transplantation: 2 long-term case reports.

To present 2 cases with long-term relapse-free intervals only after limbo-keratoplasty but not after conventional penetrating keratoplasty in granular dystrophy.Retrospective review of the patient charts and photographs taken during long-term follow-up of 2 cases with granular dystrophy, in which 1 eye received penetrating keratoplasty and the fellow eye received penetrating limbo-keratoplasty.In the first patient, 1 eye showed extensive recurrence of granular deposits 17 years after penetrating keratoplasty was performed while in the second eye two-thirds of the corneal transplant adjacent to the transplanted limbal area remained clear 12 years after the limbo-corneal transplant.

Corneal surface reconstruction using adult mesenchymal stem cells in experimental limbal stem cell deficiency in rabbits.

Purpose: To investigate the ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to transdifferentiate to corneal epithelial cells in experimental limbal stem cell deficiency in rabbits.

Methods: Total limbal stem cell deficiency was produced in 21 right eyes of 21 New Zealand rabbits; 6 eyes served as controls (group 1, G1). After removal of the conjunctival overgrowth, five eyes received amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT; G2).