COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the ophthalmic practice and the eye banking field.[12] Hence, new guidelines are being developed to safeguard corneal transplantation. Recently, in a retrospective study, we reported a significant decline in the number of tissues procured (–41%) and distributed for transplantation (–62%) in 2020 compared with 2019 at the Veneto Eye Bank Foundation, Venice, Italy. However, one week after the lockdown was lifted, although the procurement did not improve significantly (–30%) the request for tissues had already inclined (+14%) as soon as the elective surgeries were partially resumed.[3] A similar trend, in terms of tissue procurement is therefore expected in other centers that have been severely hit by COVID-19. For such reasons, it is not only important to procure the tissues, but also to store the previously collected tissues for a longer period until the surgeries are resumed.
Biobanking corneal tissues for emergency procedures during COVID-19 era
Ferrari S.;Ponzin D.;
2021
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the ophthalmic practice and the eye banking field.[12] Hence, new guidelines are being developed to safeguard corneal transplantation. Recently, in a retrospective study, we reported a significant decline in the number of tissues procured (–41%) and distributed for transplantation (–62%) in 2020 compared with 2019 at the Veneto Eye Bank Foundation, Venice, Italy. However, one week after the lockdown was lifted, although the procurement did not improve significantly (–30%) the request for tissues had already inclined (+14%) as soon as the elective surgeries were partially resumed.[3] A similar trend, in terms of tissue procurement is therefore expected in other centers that have been severely hit by COVID-19. For such reasons, it is not only important to procure the tissues, but also to store the previously collected tissues for a longer period until the surgeries are resumed.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
