Penetrating keratoplasty in herpes simplex keratitis. Recurrence in grafts
M. Fine and F. E. Cignetti
A review of 231 penetrating keratoplasties performed for corneal disease
due to herpes simplex keratitis shows that clear grafts may be obtained in
75% and satisfactory visual results in about 70% during a long-term
follow-up. Over a three-year follow-up period, recurrence of the herpetic
disease in the graft was observed in 12%. Over a longer period of
follow-up, up to 15 years, the rate of recurrence increased to 47%. About
half of the corneas with recurrence achieved clear grafts with treatment.
Recurrence did not appear to be less frequent in those cases which
circumscribed scars as compared with those in which there was diffuse
scarring. The state of activity of the disease preoperatively could not be
demonstrated to influence greatly the results of the keratoplasty.
