[Harnessing of corneas captured and processed for transplantation in an ocular tissue bank of North-eastern Brazil].

The aim of this study was to describe the harnessing of corneas captured and processed for transplantation in an ocular tissue bank in north-eastern Brazil.This was a transverse and retrospective study, with a sample group of 612 individuals whose corneas were do- nated and captured between January/2007 and July/2012. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee under number 007.0.294.000-10, and research was based on an instrument consisting of social, demographic and clinical data of the donors. Of the 1209 corneas captured, 868 were used and 341 were discarded. Of the 612 donors, the corneas of 597 (97.5%) were captured from both eyes, being that 423 (70.9%) of these corneas were used. Further studies are required on the reasons for discarding corneas and clarifications as to the conduct of professionals when processing corneas, considering the increase in the quantity of donors and the elevated number of discarded ocular tissue.