[Cryokeratoplasty and keratoplasty in the treatment of chronic bullous keratopathy].

Comparative analysis of the results of cryokeratoplasty by the Kasparov-Gorkiladze method (72 operations) and common perforating keratoplasty (60 operations) in patients with bullous keratopathy of the third-fourth stages (mean period of observation 48 months) demonstrated the advantages of cryokeratoplasy: transparent healing of corneal transplant was attained in 69.4 and 50% cases, while the incidence of relapses of bullous keratopathy was 8.3 and 23.3%, respectively. Cryopexy leads to elimination of defective epithelial cells and creation of anti-edema barrier in the corneal limb with bullous keratopathy, thus preventing the dissemination of edema per continuatuum to the transplanted donor cornea with viable epithelium. This effect promotes transparent healing of the transplant and decreases the risk of relapse.