Comparison of repeat penetrating keratoplasty, DSAEK and DMEK for the management of endothelial failure of previous PK.

Purpose: To compare the clinical outcomes of repeat PK, DSAEK-on-PK or DMEK-on-PK for the management of endothelial failure of previous penetrating keratoplasty.

Design: Retrospective, interventional consecutive case series.

Participants: 104 consecutive eyes of 100 patients requiring a second keratoplasty for endothelial failure of their primary penetrating keratoplasty performed between September 2016 and December 2020.

Intervention: Repeat keratoplasty.

Main Outcome Measures: Survival and visual acuity at 12 and 24 months, rebubbling rate and complications.

Results: Repeat PK was performed in 61/104 eyes (58.7%), DSAEK-on-PK was performed in 21/104 eyes (20.2%) and DMEK-on-PK was performed in 22/104 eyes (21.2%). Failure rates in the first 12 and 24 months were 6.6% and 20.6% for repeat PKs compared to 19% and 30.6% for DSAEK and 36.4% and 41.3% for DMEK. For those grafts surviving 12 months, the chances of surviving to 24 months were greatest for DMEK-on-PK at 92% vs 85% each for redo PK and DSAEK-on-PK. Visual acuity at one year was logMAR 0.53 ± 0.51 in the redo PK group, 0.25 ± 0.17 for DSAEK-on-PK and 0.30 ± 0.38 for DMEK-on-PK. 24-month outcomes were 0.34 ± 0.28, 0.08 ± 0.16, and 0.36 ± 0.36 respectively.

Conclusions: DMEK-on-PK has a greater failure rate in the first 12 months than DSAEK-on-PK which has a greater failure rate than redo PK. However, the 2-year survival rates in our series for those already surviving 12 months were greatest for DMEK-on-PK. There was no significant difference in visual acuity at 12 or 24 months. Careful patient selection is needed by experienced surgeons to determine which procedure to offer to patients.