Penetrating keratoplasty for bullous keratopathy after trabeculectomy

Purpose To evaluate the results of penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in eyes with bullous keratopathy having previously undergone trabeculectomy. Methods We reviewed medical records of patients that had undergone PK for bullous keratopathy having previously undergone trabeculectomy. A total of 34 eyes in 34 patients were included in the study. As a control group, we reviewed the medical records of 26 eyes in 26 patients that had no history of glaucoma and who had undergone PK for bullous keratopathy in the same period at the same institutes. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate the cumulative probability of successful intraocular pressure (IOP) control, immune reaction-free graft, and graft survival. Results Visual acuity improved by more than two lines in 30-34 eyes (88%). Log-rank tests showed a statistically significant difference in the cumulative probability of successful IOP control between eyes with functioning blebs and eyes with non-functioning blebs (P = 0.0005), but not between the experimental subjects of 34 eyes and the control group (P = 0.198). The log-rank test did not show statistically significant differences in the cumulative probability of immune reaction-free grafts and graft failure between the subjects and the control group and between eyes with functioning blebs and eyes with non-functioning blebs. Conclusion The outcomes for PK in bullous keratopathy are good for patients having previously undergone trabeculectomy. Surgical procedures should be performed before PK in eyes with non-functioning blebs even when IOP is controllable with medication.