Effect of transfer of donor corneal tissue from McCarey-Kaufmann medium to Optisol-GS on corneal endothelium.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of transfer of donor corneal tissue from McCarey-Kaufmann (MK) medium to Optisol-GS on corneal endothelium.

METHODS

This was a prospective, randomized comparative study. Twenty paired human donor corneal tissues of optical quality were retrieved. One tissue of the pair was preserved in Optisol-GS preservative medium (Group A) and other tissue of the pair in MK medium (Group B) at the time of corneoscleral disc excision. Within 12 h of retrieval, each cornea was evaluated using slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination and specular microscopic analysis. Group B corneas were transferred to Optisol-GS medium within 48-53 h of retrieval. Specular analysis of the paired corneas was repeated 3 h after transferring to Optisol-GS. On day 7 of storage, specular analysis of both the tissues was repeated.

RESULTS

The average age of the donor at the time of death was 29 years (16-68 years). The reduction in endothelial cell count, from baseline, in Groups A and B was 5.5% and 5.8% (P = 0.938) on the 3rd day and 8.2% and 12.6% (P = 0.025) on the 7th day, respectively, postretrieval. The coefficient of variation (CV) increased by 36% (P = 0.021) and hexagonality reduced by 19% (P = 0.007) on day 7. All tissues retained an endothelial cell density higher than the accepted critical level for penetrating keratoplasty.

CONCLUSION

Significant endothelial cell loss was noted while transferring tissues from one medium to another, necessitating the need for reevaluation of transferred tissues before utilization.