Corneal Transplant Risks

There are various potential risks and complications for a corneal transplant depending on the type of surgery, the surgeon's experience, and the complexity of the eye and the patient's systemic background. In addition, in every type of surgery, there are complications that can occur during the surgery and complications that can occur after corneal transplant surgery.

Corneal Transplant Risks – Full Transplant – PKP

Intraoperative Complications and Risks of a Full Corneal Transplant

1. A decentered graft
2. Irregular trephination of the recipient or the donor
3. Damage to the eye's lens
4. Damage to the donor graft
5. Intraocular choroidal hemorrhage
6. Iris tissue trapped in the surgical wound
7. Vitreous in the anterior chamber

Complications and Risks After Full Corneal Transplant Surgery

1. Leak from the surgical incision
2. Glaucoma – an increase in intraocular pressure
3. Endophthalmitis – an intraocular infection
4. A corneal scratch that does not heal (a persistent epithelial defect)
5. A corneal infection (keratitis)
6. High and irregular astigmatism after surgery
7. Rejection of the graft
8. Failure of the graft
9. Macular edema after surgery

Corneal Transplant Risks – Anterior Corneal Transplant – DALK

Intraoperative Complications and Risks of a Partial Anterior Corneal Transplant

1. Perforation of Descemet's membrane
2. The need to convert the surgery to a full corneal transplant – if this happens, then the same risks exist as mentioned above for a full-thickness corneal transplant.

Complications and Risks After Partial Anterior Corneal Transplant Surgery

1. Double pseudo anterior chamber – usually occurs in a situation of a tear of Descemet during the surgery
2. An erosion that does not close after surgery
3. Stromal rejection of the graft
4. Haze at the interface between the donor and the recipient
5. Detachment of the graft
6. Descemet folds
7. Keratitis at the interface
8. Damage to the iris (Urrets-Zavalia Syndrome)
9. High and irregular astigmatism after surgery

Corneal Transplant Risks – Posterior Corneal Transplant DMEK

1. Damage to the graft itself during preparation or during the surgery
2. Intraoperative bleeding
3. An inverted graft at the end of the surgery
4. A decentered graft at the end of the surgery
5. Detachment of the graft after the DMEK surgery
6. An erosion that does not close after the DMEK surgery
7. Increased intraocular pressure after the DMEK surgery
8. Infection at the interface
9. Debris at the interface
10. Folds in the Descemet graft
11. Macular edema after the DMEK surgery
12. Endothelial graft rejection
13. Failure of the graft

Corneal Transplant Risks – Posterior Corneal Transplant DSAEK

1. Damage to the graft during preparation or the DSAEK surgery
2. Intraoperative bleeding
3. Displacement and detachment of the graft after the DSAEK surgery
4. Primary failure of the graft – it never functioned properly
5. Secondary failure of the graft – it stopped functioning properly after a period in which it did function
6. Infection at the interface
7. Debris at the interface
8. An erosion that does not close after the DSAEK surgery
9. An increase in intraocular pressure
10. Macular edema after the DSAEK surgery