AIM: To test the safety of using cardiac death donation(DCD)corneas for penetrating keratoplasty surgery graft.

METHODS: In chronological order, suing DCD corneas penetrating keratoplasty, corneal endothelial cell density and best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)were tested 3～4mo after surgery.

RESULTS: A total of 14 cases of DCD while 26 corneas were included in this study. Donors age ranged 0.5～61 years, averagely 38.3±15.6 years. Causes of death included that 9 cases of traumatic brain injury, 2 cases myocardial infarction, 2 cases brain stem hemorrhage, 1 case of respiratory and circulatory failure. All 26 patients underwent penetrating keratoplasty, no rejection occurred and all grafts were transparent 3～4mo after surgery. Three to four months after surgery, corneal endothelial cell density ranged 794～4 347/mm², averaged 2 305±827/mm², within which was only one case was lower than 1 000/mm²(3.8%), while 9 cases ranged from 1 000～2 000/mm²(34.6%), 16 cases were higher than 2 000/mm²(61.5%). The age of all the 26 receipts were from 20～80 years, mean 40.7±17.1 years. BCVA before surgery was light perception positive to 0.08, with an average 0.027±0.024. Three to four months after surgery, BCVA were 0.2～0.8, with an average 0.52±0.182 in contrast(t=3.96, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: DCD donated corneas could be used for penetrating keratoplasty graft with high security.