Penetrating Keratoplasty After Epikeratophakia for Keratoconus

HLA antigens in lyophilised corneal lenticules

“…Certainly in humans there have been no reports of rejection of lyophilised corneal homografts, but it is not known whether the recipients become sensitised to donor antigens in epikeratophakia with lyophilised tissue. In an early report of patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty after failed epikeratophakia there was an apparently increased rate of graft rejection of 43% (3 out of 7 cases) (Frantz et al 1988). However, a subsequent report of a larger series of patients showed a rejection rate of 13.6% (3 out of 22 cases) which is closer to the rejection rate expected in first time grafts (Frantz et al 1989).…”