Thus this book impressively reflects many years of surgi­ A successful penetrating keratoplasty has many prerequi­ sites, for example suitable donor tissue, careful harvesting cal experience and can impart this to younger operating v of the donor eye and donor cornea, the possibility of suit­ surgeons and many colleagues who assist in the care of able short-term conservation, an atraumatic transplant the patients. technique using modern corneoscleral trephination instru­ Since the key to long-term visual rehabilitation of kerato­ ments as well as a problem-orientated perioperative phar­ plasty patients can be found in the knowledge presented macotherapy. All of these factors contribute to the here, we hope this book will enjoy the largest possible cir­ immediate success of the operation. More decisive for the culation. long-term success of the transplant and therefore more One is unable to conclude this preface without a word of thanks from the Department of Ophthalmology of the Uni­ important for the patient is, however, the early recognition versity of Cologne to the author for the many years during of immunogenic and non-immunogenic complications which she directed the keratoplasty consultation service. from the moment of the patients discharge from hospital. In view of the multitude of interactions between the recipi­ These thanks are also in the name of our patients who ent eye and the donor cornea there is a complex spectrum benefited from her expert care.