Clinical Outcomes in Traumatic Penetrating Keratoplasty Graft Dehiscence.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report clinical characteristics and outcomes of surgical repair for patients with traumatic dehiscence of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) grafts.

Methods: Retrospective, consecutive chart review of patients evaluated at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between 2015 and 2020 with traumatic dehiscence of penetrating keratoplasty grafts.

Results: The study cohort consisted of 65 eyes of 65 patients. The mean age at presentation was 72 years (SD 18), with a male predominance (65%). The most common indications for PKP included keratoconus (42%), corneal scar (31%), and Fuchs corneal dystrophy (8%). Dehiscence occurred as a result of blunt trauma in 94% of cases, and the mean wound length was 6.4 clock hours (SD 2.4), with a predominance of inferior dehiscence. The mean presenting visual acuity (VA) was 2.45 logMAR (SD 0.41), and the mean final VA was 2.17 logMAR (SD 0.99). Graft failure occurred in 64% of patients, and 22% underwent repeat PKP. When stratified by indication for corneal transplantation (keratoconus vs. other), there was no significant difference in graft age at the time of rupture, final VA, rate of graft failure, or rate of repeat PKP.

Conclusions: Traumatic dehiscence of corneal grafts remains a rare but serious subtype of ocular trauma with generally poor visual prognoses. Presenting VA along with severity of trauma and posterior segment involvement tend to be the worst prognostic factors in final visual outcome.