Porcine collagen corneal shield treatment of persistent epithelial defects following penetrating keratoplasty.

Treatment of persistent epithelial defects following penetrating keratoplasty (PK) can be difficult. The use of a 24-hour porcine collagen corneal shield (Bausch & Lomb) to promote epithelialization of these cases was compared to the use of the hydrophilic bandage soft contact lens (Bausch & Lomb, plano O4). Twenty-three consecutive patients treated for persistent epithelial defect following PK were reviewed. Sixteen of 22 (73%) treated with a bandage soft contact lens healed completely. None of seven patients with persistent epithelial defect treated with collagen shield therapy healed. Six of these seven patients were subsequently treated with a bandage soft contact lens; five (83%) healed with this therapy. These data suggest that the 24 hour collagen corneal shield is not useful in treating persistent epithelial defect following PK and that a bandage soft contact lens is significantly more effective (P less than 0.01) in these cases.