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Prognostic factors affecting graft survival in patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty for infectious keratitis

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First Author: G.Gumus TURKEY

Co Author(s):    G. Gümüş   A. Kırgız   Y. Yildirim   N. Kandemir Beşek   S. Genç   B. Kepez Yildiz     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the prognostic factors affecting graft survival in patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) for infectious keratitis.

Setting:

University of Health Sciences, Beyoglu Eye Training and Research Hospital

Methods:

Patients who underwent therapeutic PKP at the inflammatory stage and followed for at least 12 months were included in the study. Age, gender, time between diagnosis and surgery, lens status, presence of limbal involvement, presence of corneal ulceration, perforation or corneal abscess, type of microorganism detected in culture, number of fortified medications used before surgery and duration of use, preoperative and postoperative visual acuity, postoperative graft transparency, postoperative complications, recurrence of infection, rate of re-keratoplasty, the indication for re-keratoplasty and the time of re-keratoplasty were recorded. The relationship between these findings and anatomic, therapeutic and functional success were evaluated.

Results:

59 patients included in the study, 40 (67.8%) were male and 19 (32.2%) were female, and the mean age was 59.78 ± 19.46 (6-91) years. Anatomical success was achieved in 58 (98.3%) patients. The number of patients who achieved therapeutic success was 47 (79.7%) and there was a significant relationship between therapeutic success and re-keratoplasty and early re-keratoplasty (p<0.001 for both).Thirty-two (54.2%) patients had functional success and there was a significant relationship between the absence of postoperative complications and functional success (p = 0.014).

Conclusions:

PKP is an effective treatment option in treatment-resistant keratitis or keratitis with impending perforation. The absence of postoperative complications and the early re-keratoplasty in patients with recurrent cases increase the success rate.

Financial Disclosure:

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