Microbiological Testing of Split-Cornea Transplantation.

PURPOSE: By splitting a donor cornea into an anterior and a posterior donor lamella, the need for donor tissue can be reduced in times of lack of donors. Current eye bank regulations limit the use of each donor cornea to one recipient. METHODS: The anterior lamella not applied to the patient after each sterile DMEK preparation performed was stored for one week and was microbiologically controlled on day 7. RESULTS: Between October 2020 and December 2021, microbiological controls of 108 consecutive anterior lamellae were performed at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Duesseldorf, without any contamination found. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest split-cornea transplantation is a microbiologically safe procedure.