The Cornea Preservation Time Study (CPTS) is a nationwide study with 36 participating clinical sites, including over 50 corneal surgeons, and 23 participating eye banks. It is the first of its kind to study whether endothelial keratoplasty (a corneal transplant surgery) using donor corneas preserved beyond 8 days may be as successful as a surgery using donor corneas preserved less than 8 days.
When a donor cornea is obtained, it is placed into a liquid in a special chamber and kept at a refrigerated temperature until surgery to preserve it in good condition. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved storage of the cornea in this liquid for up to 14 days before the transplant. However, it is unknown if the length of time the cornea is in this liquid before the transplant makes a difference. Overseas, the practice of using corneas past 7 days is quite common but this practice is not as common in the United States. Until now, the USA has not experienced a significant donor tissue shortage. However, the future of the cornea donor supply is becoming more uncertain due to the USA population living longer, an increase in persons needing transplants, and the threat of infections in potential donors that prevent use of the tissue for transplantation. There is no reason to believe that there is any greater risk for transplant failure as long as the surgery is done within 14 days of the cornea being placed in the liquid. The results of this study are important to scientifically establish this.
CPTS has been scientifically reviewed and approved by many expert groups and is funded by the National Eye Institute, a Division of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a part of the federal government. Up to 1,330 patients will be enrolled in the study undergoing these corneal transplants with this donor tissue. Dr. Jonathan Lass is the study chair for the CPTS and a professor at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio. Allison Edwards, MS is the Principal Investigator of the Data Management and Analysis center located at the Jaeb Center for Health Research in Tampa, Florida. CWRU and the Jaeb Center are working jointly to run this study.
Click on the link below to watch a video introduction from the Study Chair.
CPTS Video Introduction from Study Chair
Click Link below to view 'CPTS Eye World Article'
CPTS Eye World Article
For any questions or more information, call the CPTS Toll Free Number: 1-855-360-7934