RESULTS OF LARGE PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY IN MICROBIAL KERATITIS

Extensive corneal disease secondary to microbial keratitis can result in frank or impending corneal perforation requiring a large penetratin g keratoplasty. In an 8-year period, 26 penetrating keratoplasties wit h recipient beds of greater than or equal to 9.5 mm were performed on 22 eyes: 11 for bacterial keratitis, 10 for fungal keratitis, and one for a mixed bacterial and fungal keratitis, The graft failed in 18 of 19 eyes (94.7%), with a median time to failure of 12.9 weeks in bacter ial keratitis and 4.0 weeks in fungal keratitis. After large keratopla sty, 17 of 20 eyes (85.0%) maintained the structural integrity of the globe. The remainder became phthisical or required enucleation, With p reservation of the structural integrity of the globe, a subsequent sma ller optical penetrating keratoplasty is an option in some of these ey es.