Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Risk factors for conjunctival graft failure in dogs after eye surgery
By Mironovich, Melanie A et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2025·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Risk factors for corneal conjunctival grafting failure in dogs at four referral centers in the southern United States (203 patients): 2015-2021.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 203 dogs with severe eye ulcers underwent surgery to repair their corneas using conjunctival grafts. Unfortunately, about 11% of these surgeries failed, particularly in dogs with deeper ulcers or corneal perforations. Brachycephalic breeds, like Bulldogs and Pugs, were more likely to experience graft failure compared to other breeds. Factors such as the size of the sutures used and the surgical technique also played a role in the success of the grafts. Despite these challenges, 87% of the dogs still had some vision at their last check-up, which was about two months after surgery.
People also search for: dog eye ulcer treatment · brachycephalic dog eye problems · conjunctival graft failure in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report risk factors associated with conjunctival graft failure in dogs at four referral specialty centers. PROCEDURES: Records of 203 dogs (229 eyes) undergoing conjunctival graft repair of ulcerative keratitis at four hospitals from 2015 to 2021 were reviewed. Success was defined as full graft integration with globe retention at the last postoperative evaluation; vision status was reported separately. Factors assessed included patient signalment, ophthalmic examination findings, surgical factors, and follow-up information. RESULTS: Conjunctival graft failure occurred in 11% (25/229) of eyes and was significantly associated with ulcer depth, with corneal perforations having increased odds of graft failure compared with descemetoceles (odds ratio [OR] = 3.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-9.32; p = .03) and stromal ulcers (OR = 10.89 [95% CI 1.38-86.18], p = .02). Brachycephalic dogs were significantly more likely than non-brachycephalic dogs to experience graft failure (OR = 5.02 [95% CI 1.42-17.74], p < .01). Surgery on the opposite eye relative to surgeon handedness was significantly associated with an increased risk of graft failure (OR 4.28 [95% CI 1.53-11.94], p < .01). The use of 7-0 and 8-0 suture versus 9-0 (p = .03) and the use of a combined simple continuous and interrupted pattern (p = .03) were significantly associated with an increased risk of graft failure. At the last follow-up, (median 61.5 days), 87% of dogs were visual. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal perforations, surgery on the opposite eye relative to surgeon handedness, suture size and pattern, and brachycephalic conformation were significantly associated with an increased risk of graft failure in this study. These characteristics can be considered when determining prognosis for ulcerative keratitis requiring surgical intervention.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38439580/