Expanding donor age limits could help alleviate corneal transplant tissue shortage
Expanding the upper age limit for corneal donor tissues to include donors aged 76 to 80 years could help address the global shortage of suitable keratoplasty tissue, as these older tissues have been shown to be safe and effective for transplantation, according to a study.
A retrospective case series compared standard tissue parameters such as tissue suitability, endothelial cell density (ECD), and death-to-procurement time between corneas from donors aged 76 to 80 years and those aged 71 to 75 years. The results showed a similar suitability rate of 57% for older tissues, compared to 59% for the younger group, with no statistically significant difference in ECDs.
Clinical outcomes over 3 months were favorable for corneas from the older age group, with no early graft failures or major complications reported.
Further studies are recommended to confirm these results on a larger scale.
Reference
Greenwald MF, Sawant OB, Titus MS, et al. Suitability and Early Clinical Outcomes of Corneal Donor Tissue in the 76-80-Year-Old Age Group. Cornea. 2024;doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000003644. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39116278.
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