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Objective: To compare the surgical outcomes of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in perforated and non-perforated corneal descemetocele.Method: In this study, we retrospectively examined 48 eyes of 48 patients operated with AMT, and 32 eyes of 32 patients operated with PK for perforated and non-perforated descemetocele.Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to age, sex, laterality, follow-up duration, cause of descemetocele, and localization (p > 0.05). Thirty-six (75%) eyes in the AMT group and 17 (53.1%) eyes in the PK group were perforated prior to operation (p = 0.043). Surgical success was achieved in 35 (73%) of 48 eyes underwent AMT and 28 (87.5%) of 32 eyes underwent PK (p = 0.118). Perforation size was the only parameter significantly affecting surgical success (AMT p = 0.001, PK p = 0.003). The visual acuity was significantly better at the postsurgical period compared to the presurgical period in both groups (p = 0.003, p < 0.001). It was observed that the postsurgical change in the visual acuity score was significantly greater in the PK group (p = 0.001).Conclusion: Penetrating keratoplasty is superior to AMT for achieving ocular surface integrity and enhancing visual acuity. Amniotic membrane transplantation saves time for patients and surgeons when donor cornea supply is limited and it allows PK to be performed at a quiet period when inflammation is suppressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the outcomes of therapeutic penetrating keratoplasties, defined as keratoplasties performed to eradicate active infectious corneal diseases or to repair a structural defect of the cornea. The records of 24 eyes of 24 patients (17 female and 7 male) treated with therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty between 2002 and 2010 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were divided into infectious keratitis group and non-infectious keratitis group. The mean age was 52.12 ± 17.91 years. The median follow-up time was 22 months (min-max: 6-96). Therapeutic success was achieved and eyes were preserved in 23 patients and one patient required evisceration for recurrent fungal infection. At the end of the follow-up period, 92.9 % ( n = 13) and 77.8 % ( n = 7) of grafts remained clear in the infectious and non-infectious groups, respectively ( p = 0.538). Visual acuity (VA) improved at least one Snellen line in 23 patients. The mean postoperative decimal VA was 0.2 ± 0.3 and 0.1 ± 0.3 in the infectious and non-infectious groups, respectively ( p = 0.12). Amniotic membrane transplantation was performed in two eyes preoperatively and in four eyes postoperatively. Therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty continues to be an effective method in the treatment process of serious perforated and non-perforated corneal infectious and non-infectious diseases resistant to medical and other surgical interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]