Quantitative and morphological analysis of endothelial cells of donor corneas

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the endothelial cell count and morphology of the endothelial cell of donor corneas using Eye Bank Specular Microscope (EBSM). Materials and Methods: Eye bank data of 100 donor corneas procured and processed between January 2016 and December 2017, at an eye bank associated with a medical college hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variance (CV), and percentage age of hexagonality (6A) of donor cornea were compared across different age groups, gender, and phakic status of the donor tissue. Results: The mean age of the donors was 63.53 ± 19.92 (range 15–92 years). The mean ECD of the donor cornea was 2708.93 ± 271.52 cells/mm2; the average CV was 28.37 ± 6.3; and the average percentages of hexagonal cells were 63.85%. The cell count was significantly greater in the age group of <20 years when compared to rest of the age groups. There were no significant differences between the age groups on CV and 6A. The ECD of the male donors (66%) was more than that of female donors (34%). The ECD of the phakic donors was significantly more than that of pseudophakic (PP) and aphakic (AP) donors. Conclusion: ECD is significantly greater in younger age group as compared to older age groups; however, there are no significant differences in CV and 6A. The ECD of the phakic donors was more than that of PP and AP donors. Endothelial cell analysis by EBSM alters the final grading of tissues and its subsequent utilization for corneal transplantation with good prognosis for graft survival.

Keywords

• Coefficient of variance
• donor cornea
• endothelial cell density
• Eye Bank Specular Microscope
• percentage of hexagonality (6A)