A Study of Host Corneal Endothelial Cells After Non-Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty

Abstract

Host endothelial cells 2 weeks after nDSAEK express markers of pump function, but appear to be morphologically altered, occasionally detaching from the adjacent Descemet membrane, extending into the graft stroma or engulfing strands of the grafted stroma at the interface. The short-term persistence and subsequent phenotypical alternation of residual endothelial cells, aligned to structural changes to Descemet membrane, might influence graft adherence after nDSAEK.