IMPORTANCE OF TISSUE STORAGE TIME FOR THE OUTCOME AFTER CORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION

Background: HLA-DR antigen plays a key role in transplantation immunol ogy. Organ culture storage leads to loss of HLA-DR-positive corneal La ngerhans cells. This study investigates the importance of prolonged st orage period for the success rate after penetrating keratoplasty. Pati ents and material: Eighty-four patients with 99 penetrating corneal tr ansplantations were examined retrospectively. Group 1 represented kera toplasty patients with an average corneal storage period of 1.9 days ( +/-1.4) and in group 2 the patients received tissues stored for 9.8 da ys (+/-4.7). Results: The success rate of high-risk patients was 34.4% (+/-8.7) in group 1 and 69.2% (+/-12) in group 2 after 18 months (p<0 .01). In non-risk patients we had a success quota of 72.7% (+/-8.2) in group 1 and 91% (+/-6.1) in group 2 (p<0.01). Conclusion: We found si gnificantly better results in patients receiving tissues stored for an average time of 9.8 days than in those receiving corneas preserved fo r 1.9 days. The results are thought to be based on the loss of HLA-DR- positive cells during prolonged organ culture preservation.