Transplantation antigens and keratoplasty.

Allograft rejection is one of the leading causes of corneal graft failure in man when the cornea is heavily vascularized. This paper reports the feasibility and possible benefits of using histocompatibility (HLA) antigen cross-match testing for corneal donor selection. Such cross-match testing does not require the matching of individual HLA antigens of donor and recipient. A double-masked clinical trial designed to determine the value of this procedure for keratoplasty is discussed.