Donor Cornea Storage Temperature: Investigation of the Time Period Immediately Before Cornea Transplantation Surgery

Abstract

Purpose: Donor cornea storage temperature seems to affect tissue viability; however, the time period between removal from storage and transplant surgery has not been explored. We investigated the possible impact time at room temperature in the operating room may have on endothelial cell density (ECD) and corneal thickness (CT). Methods: In our simulation, transplant-ineligible corneas underwent 1 of 4 room temperature protocols. ECD (by specular microscopy) and CT (by anterior segment optical coherence tomography [OCT]), measured before and after protocols, were used to explore possible effects of time at room temperature. Control group tissue resided at room temperature only long enough for warming and subsequent ECD and CT measurements. Results: Corneas underwent one of the following protocols: 1) 17 (±1) minutes at room temperature (for baseline OCT measurements; n = 13) followed by 23 minutes at 35°C (to facilitate specular imaging, conducted for all 4 protocols), 2) 60 (±1) minutes (1 hour; n = 8) at room temperature, 3) 187 (±1) minutes (approximately 3 hours; n = 7) at room temperature, and 4) 416 (±1) minutes (approximately 7 hours; n = 7). Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in ECD change (P = 0.353) or CT change (P = 0.415) between protocol groups. Controlling for donor age and death-to-preservation time rendered no statistical significance. Conclusions: Time at room temperature did not seem to significantly influence ECD or CT measured soon after warming. Studies exploring ECD postoperatively and long-term graft survival are needed to assess the possible clinical impact of preoperative time at room temperature.