Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To determine the percentage and characteristics of grafts in penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) that failed or underwent rejection in the first year after transplantation. Methods: A retrospective non-comparative case series of 70 patients who underwent PKP by three corneal surgeons at the University of California, San Francisco in 1998-99. Results: The average follow-up period was 34.5 months. The most frequent indications for PKP were pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (25.7%), graft failure (21.4%), keratoconus (18.6%), and corneal scarring (8.6%). The overall rate of graft rejection or failure was 25.7% (18 grafts). Of these 18 grafts, 11 (61.1%) underwent graft failure and 7 (38.9%) underwent a rejection episode. Sixty-seven percent of the rejection/failure events occurred during the first year after transplantation. Five of the 7 (71.4%) grafts that experienced rejection improved with increased topical steroid use. Conclusions: Two-thirds of PKP grafts that undergo rejection or failure do so during the first year after PKP. Close follow-up and vigilant examinations during this time frame are necessary, as prompt intervention can lead to resolution of graft rejection in the majority of cases.
Keywords: cornea: clinical science