Background: In most countries, the amount of corneal graft tissue available for transplantation is insufficient to meet demand. In 2010, there were 459 patients on the waiting list for corneal transplantation (WLCT) in Espirito Santo (ES), a Brazilian state with 3,885,000 inhabitants. Several strategies were implemented to reduce the number of individuals on the WLCT, which reached zero in 2011. Studies on the evolution of corneal donation contribute to reducing the WLCT worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe the evolution of corneal donation in ES and the profile of corneal donors from 2010 to 2013.
Methods: This was a retrospective study. The data were collected from records referring to donations of corneas and from the archives of the Center for Organ Procurement and Distribution of ES. Statistical software was used to perform descriptive analysis of the data.
Results: The sample consisted of 1359 donors, aged 46.82 ± 17.32 (mean ± standard deviation), 70.1% of whom were male. Most of the consent forms for donation were signed by the sons of the donors. In 2011, there was a major increase (105%) in the number of corneal transplants compared with 2010; consequently, the number of patients on the WLCT reached zero, but increased again, reaching 139 patients in 2013.
Conclusion: This study shows that strategies to increase corneal donations should be continued even after reduction or elimination waiting time on the WLCT.
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