Changing indications and surgical techniques for keratoplasty during a 16-year period (2003–2018) at a tertiary referral hospital in Japan

PURPOSE: To present the changing indications and surgical techniques for keratoplasty during a 16-year period (2003–2018) at a tertiary referral hospital in Japan. METHODS: Consecutive keratoplasty cases at Kanazawa University Hospital from January 2003 to December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Keratoplasty procedures included penetrating keratoplasty (PK), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), anterior lamellar keratoplasty (ALK), Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), and Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). Annual numbers and types of keratoplasty as well as underlying diseases for PK and total keratoplasty procedures were recorded, and annual trends were statistically analyzed using Cochran–Armitage test for trend. RESULTS: A total of 801 keratoplasty procedures (PK, 319 cases; DALK, 57 cases; ALK, 9 cases; DSAEK, 371 cases; and DMEK 45 cases; mean age, 66.9±16.3 years) were performed for 595 patients (302 males [329 eyes, 419 cases], 293 females [345 eyes, 382 cases]) during the 16-year period. The proportion of PK procedures decreased significantly in the beginning and showed a slightly increasing trend after a plateau around 2015. DSAEK was increasing after 2006 and reached a plateau around 2012. Among 10 underlying diseases for total keratoplasty, corneal opacity and dermoid were decreasing linearly. Failed PK and failed DSAEK were increasing linearly in the beginning and reached a plateau followed by a decreasing trend. In terms of the underlying disease for PK, bullous keratopathy was decreasing in the beginning and reached a plateau around 2015. A total of 19 PK procedures were performed on cases with recalcitrant bullous kerstopathy (BK) after 2010. CONCLUSION: The distribution of keratoplasty procedures and underlying diseases changed significantly over 16 years at a tertiary referral hospital in Japan. PK procedure was significantly decreased and DSAEK procedure was significantly increased. PK for BK decreased significantly; however, PK remains a viable option for other recalcitrant corneal diseases.