Corneal transplant during COVID-19 pandemic: the Italian Eye Bank national report

Carlo Nucci,Raffaela Mistò,Federico Genzano Besso,Massimiliano Corneli,Achille Tortori,Augusto Pocobelli,Germano Genitti,Roberto Ceccuzzi,Paola Bonci,Davide Venzano,Giulio Pocobelli,Francesco Aiello,Diego Ponzin,Rossella Anna Maria Colabelli Gisoldi,Claudio Giannarini,Giuseppe Calabrò,Gabriele Gallo Afflitto

doi:10.1007/s10561-021-09934-8

Abstract

To investigate the impact of Coronavirus Disease-2019 lockdown on the Italian Eye Bank organization. In this national retrospective, multicentric, cohort study, data from the Italian Eye Bank during both the lockdown and the first month after the lockdown period were retrieved. We compared the Italian Eye Bank metrics with the same timeframe of 2019 and 2018. Data from 13 out of 13 (100%) Italian Eye Banks were included in the analysis. A statistically significant reduction in the number of donor corneas retrieved in 2020 was found as compared to the same period in 2019 and in 2018, respectively (2020 = 1284; 2019 = 3088; 2018 = 3221; ANOVA: p < 0.0001). Only 534 corneas have been distributed by Eye Banks during the COVID-19-lockdown period (2020 = 534; 2019 = 1220; 2018 = 1237. ANOVA: p < 0.0001). Similarly, the number of wasted corneas due to postponed or cancelled surgeries was 421, resulting in a considerable increase as compared to the previous 2 years (2020 = 421; 2019 = 67; 2018 = 84; ANOVA: p = 0.0035). Overall, 45 donor corneas were rejected in accordance with the guidance of the Italian National Health Institute Italian National Transplant Centre (CNT). SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has profoundly affected every social and medical field, including the Eye Bank procurement and distribution programs. The current data collected from all the Italian Eye Banks highlights the present and the forthcoming difficulties that the Eye Bank community is going to experience, as for the ongoing pandemic.

Highlights

On December 31, 2019, China notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of a pneumonia outbreak of unknown aetiology.The causative agent was named as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the Coronavirus
We investigated the number of wasted tissues and the number of tissues collected from donors who were subsequently found to be positive to COVID-19
Retrospective cohort study, data from 13 out of 13 (100%) Italian eye banks were included in the analysis

Summary

Introduction

On December 31, 2019, China notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of a pneumonia outbreak of unknown aetiology.The causative agent was named as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the CoronavirusDisease-2019 (COVID-19). (Zhu et al 2020; Aiello et al 2020).Italy was the first western European country affected by the pandemic. As of March 9, 2020, the Italian Government imposed a national quarantine, restricting the movements of the population in response to the growing epidemic of COVID-19. (Buonomo et al 2020) This decision drastically reduced healthcare provision, with disruption and cancellation of non-urgent medical procedures, including elective corneal transplant surgeries (Olivia Li et al 2020; Vanni et al 2020b; Busin et al 2020) Gain et al demonstrated that the Italian Eye Bank Institution is the second main procurer of corneal grafts after the United States of America, with 25010–6 cornea donations per capita per year, rendering it one of the most prolific Eye Bank Institution throughout the world. The aim of this study is to analytically explore the COVID-19 impact on the Italian Eye Bank organization, as a reliable index of the COVID-19 effect on the Eye Bank activity worldwide As of March 9, 2020, the Italian Government imposed a national quarantine, restricting the movements of the population in response to the growing epidemic of COVID-19. (Buonomo et al 2020) This decision drastically reduced healthcare provision, with disruption and cancellation of non-urgent medical procedures, including elective corneal transplant surgeries (Olivia Li et al 2020; Vanni et al 2020b; Busin et al 2020) Gain et al demonstrated that the Italian Eye Bank Institution is the second main procurer of corneal grafts after the United States of America, with 25010–6 cornea donations per capita per year, rendering it one of the most prolific Eye Bank Institution throughout the world. (Gain et al 2016).

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