J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2023 Apr;64(4):273-280. 10.3341/jkos.2023.64.4.273.

Trends in Corneal Transplantation Revealed by KONOS and Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service Annual Reports

• Lee J
• Lee SY
• Yoon YC
• Park SK
• Whang WJ
• Byun YS
• Hwang HB
• Na KS
• Lee HS
• Chung SH
• Kim EC
• Cho YK
• Kim HS
• Hwang HS

• KMID: 2542160
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2023.64.4.273

Abstract

Purpose
To analyze trends in corneal transplantation surgery and determine the number of domestic and imported corneal grafts used in South Korea. Method: The total number of keratoplasties and number of each individual surgical procedure conducted in 2010 and 2020 were identified using Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data. The number of keratoplasties using domestic corneas in 2010 and 2020 was determined from the annual report of the Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS). The number of keratoplasties using imported corneas was calculated by subtracting the number of keratoplasties using domestic corneas from the total number of keratoplasties.
Results
In 2010, 802 keratoplasties were performed in Korea, of which 299 (37.3%) used imported corneas; 715 (89.2%) were penetrating keratoplasties and 87 (10.8%) were anterior lamellar keratoplasties. In 2020, 911 keratoplasties were done in Korea and 564 (61.9%) used imported corneas; 541 (59.4%) were penetrating keratoplasties, 60 (6.6%) were anterior lamellar keratoplasties, and 310 (34.0%) were endothelial keratoplasties. From 2010 to 2020, the number of penetrating keratoplasties in Korea decreased, while the numbers of endothelial keratoplasties and keratoplasties using imported corneas increased.
Conclusions
There was a 30% decrease in the number of penetrating keratoplasties from 2010 to 2020, and a 30% increase in the numbers of endothelial keratoplasties and keratoplasties using imported corneas. The proportions of endothelial keratoplasties and imported corneas have increased steadily in Korea over the last 10 years.

Keyword

Corneal grafting, Corneal transplantation, Endothelial keratoplasty, Keratoplasty, Surgical trends