Effect of the Preservation-to-Surgery Interval on Corneal Allograft Survival in Low-Risk Patients

Abstract

To investigate the role of the preservation-to-surgery interval on corneal allograft survival in low-risk patients. Eighteen donor corneas obtained from an overseas eye bank were preserved and transported overseas in Optisol-GS solution (Chiron Vision, Irvine, CA) in Group 1. Thirty fresh, young, healthy, and unscreened donor corneas soaked in the same medium were used in Group 2. Average preservation-to-surgery time was more than 8 days in Group 1 and less than 30 hours in Group 2. Corneal allograft survival rates were determined by Kaplan-Meier estimates of the survivor functions. The log-rank test was used to determine statistical significance of the differences between groups. was 233.3 +/- 37.7 hours in Group 1 and 20.8 +/- 4.6 hours in Group 2 (P < .05 for the comparison of average times). There were significant differences between the groups with respect to donors' age and enucleation time, but there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of graft diameter and recipient diameter or for corneal allograft survival in low-risk patients. The graft survival rate was 83.3% in Group 1 and 93.3% in Group 2 at the end of the follow-up period. Preservation-to-surgery time has no effect on corneal allograft survival in low-risk patients. However, prospective, randomized, long-term and large-scale clinical trials are necessary to confirm these findings.