Friederike Schaub1, Maurice Collmer2, Silvia Schrittenlocher2, Björn O Bachmann2, Claus Cursiefen3, Deniz Hos3. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany. Electronic address: friederike.schaub@uk-koeln.de. 2. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany. 3. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether corneas from donors ≥80 years old are suitable for Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). DESIGN: Retrospective, comparative, interventional case series. METHODS: Records of 1,765 consecutive DMEKs were reviewed and matched with corresponding donor tissue data. Older donors (≥80 years of age) were compared to younger donors (<80 years). Outcome measurements in DMEK recipients included best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), endothelial cell density (ECD), central corneal thickness (CCT) at 3 and 6 months and at 1, 2, and 3 years' follow-up and re-bubbling rates. RESULTS: Of 1,748 DMEKs, 284 (16.2%) were performed with older donor lamellae (mean donor age, 83.96 ± 3.19 years; range, 80-94 years) and 1,464 (83.7%) with younger donor tissue (mean donor age, 65.27 ± 9.57 years; range, 17-79). BSCVA results were comparable for all postoperative time points. CCT results for younger donors were more favorable in the early postoperative course (P < 0.001 at 6 months; and P < 0.001 at 1 year), whereas mid-term results were comparable in both groups. ECD values were significantly higher in donors <80 years of age preoperatively and during the first 2 postoperative years (P ≤ 0.024). Overall re-bubbling rates were comparable in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Older donors, ≥80 to 94 years of age, seem to produce comparable mid-term functional results following DMEK surgery compared to younger donors. The use of corneas from donors aged ≥80 for DMEK surgery may therefore be a promising approach to counteract global donor shortage.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether corneas from donors ≥80 years old are suitable for Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). DESIGN: Retrospective, comparative, interventional case series. METHODS: Records of 1,765 consecutive DMEKs were reviewed and matched with corresponding donor tissue data. Older donors (≥80 years of age) were compared to younger donors (<80 years). Outcome measurements in DMEK recipients included best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), endothelial cell density (ECD), central corneal thickness (CCT) at 3 and 6 months and at 1, 2, and 3 years' follow-up and re-bubbling rates. RESULTS: Of 1,748 DMEKs, 284 (16.2%) were performed with older donor lamellae (mean donor age, 83.96 ± 3.19 years; range, 80-94 years) and 1,464 (83.7%) with younger donor tissue (mean donor age, 65.27 ± 9.57 years; range, 17-79). BSCVA results were comparable for all postoperative time points. CCT results for younger donors were more favorable in the early postoperative course (P < 0.001 at 6 months; and P < 0.001 at 1 year), whereas mid-term results were comparable in both groups. ECD values were significantly higher in donors <80 years of age preoperatively and during the first 2 postoperative years (P ≤ 0.024). Overall re-bubbling rates were comparable in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Older donors, ≥80 to 94 years of age, seem to produce comparable mid-term functional results following DMEK surgery compared to younger donors. The use of corneas from donors aged ≥80 for DMEK surgery may therefore be a promising approach to counteract global donor shortage.
Authors: Annekatrin Rickmann; Karl Boden; André M Trouvain; Lisa J Müller; Catheline Bocqué; Sebastian Thaler; Peter Szurman Journal: Int Ophthalmol Date: 2021-10-31 Impact factor: 2.031
Authors: Sai Kyauk; Howard Y Cajucom-Uy; Hla Myint Htoon; Z Zaw Htoi Aung; Jodhbir S Mehta; Arundhati Anshu Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-12-02 Impact factor: 3.240