[Major indications for corneal penetrating keratoplasty at a reference service in São Paulo state (Sorocaba - SP, Brazil)]

Abstract

Purpose: To identify the main indications for corneal transplantation, analyze the results and provide demographic and epidemiological profile of patients referred to the Corneal Transplantation Project.

Methods: A retrospective analysis, from June to December 2003, of patients referred to the Corneal Transplantation Project.

Results: Total of 171 patients. One hundred and two (59.6%) patients were male and 69 (40.3%) female; mean age was 37 years. One hundred and six (49%) patients had indication for corneal transplantation. The origins of patients were: São Paulo (68%), Minas Gerais (6%), Paraná (6%), Rio de Janeiro (5%), Maranhão (3%) and others (12%). The main indications: keratoconus 65%, pseudophakic bullous keratopathy 21%, corneal scarring 10%, Fuchs dystrophy 1.9%, lattice dystrophy 0.9% and Stevens-Johnson syndrome 0.9%.

Conclusion: Many patients referred to corneal transplantation had no indication for such procedure. This fact demonstrates the poor knowledge of general ophthalmologists about the real indications of penetrating keratoplasty. Keratoconus was the major indication followed by pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.