A comparative assessment of endothelium from pseudophakic and phakic donor corneas stored in organ culture.

Aims: To evaluate the endothelial quality of corneas obtained from pseudophakic donors and to compare the data with matched phakic controls.

Methods: Corneas from eyes with posterior chamber intraocular lenses (PCIOLs) and corneas from phakic eyes (controls) were stored for 1-2 weeks in organ culture and then examined after staining with Alizarin red S. The corneas were divided into two groups according to the duration of storage.

[The fate of corneal transplants from the Zurich eye bank].

In a retrospective study, we investigated the survival of transplanted corneal material, which had been sent between 1988 and 1989 from the Zurich Eye Bank to both domestic and foreign physicians and clinics. A questionnaire was used to determine diagnosis, transplant survival, cause of any opacification, the occurrence of problems of epithelialisation, loosening of sutures, as well as vascularization of the host cornea. Of a total of 416 corneas, 327 or 79% could be evaluated.

[At-risk keratoplasty, HLA antigens and cyclosporin A].

Keratoplasty in a calm and avascular cornea usually involves no histocompatibility problem. This is not the case if the recipient cornea is inflamed or vascularized. In such cases, and in those where the donor button has been rejected, HLA matching and particularly the search of HLA DR is important.

[Pseudophakic bullous keratopathy].

The number of cataract extractions in Switzerland has tripled since 1981. In 1986, a total of 15,500 cataract operations were performed, 95% of which were accompanied by an intraocular lens implantation. In spite of this tremendous increase pseudophakic bullous keratopathy remains a rare indication for keratoplasties: between 1980 and 1986 only 20 grafts were performed at the authors' clinic for irreversible corneal edema following lens implantation.