title: Allograft conjunctival transplantation for bilateral ocular surface disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of allogenic conjunctival transplantation in bilateral surface disorders and to correlate with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing and cross-matching.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study of allogenic conjunctival transplantation was undertaken in 12 eyes of 10 patients with bilateral surface disorders. Five eyes had Stevens-Johnson syndrome, three had Lyell syndrome, three had bilateral alkali burns, and one had a bilateral thermal burn. Human leukocyte antigen typing and cross-matching were retrospectively performed in eight patients and their respective donors. Stabilization of corneal epithelia, visual acuity, and rejection episodes were examined after the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven (91.6%) of 12 eyes had improved visual acuity, corneal transparency and surface lubrication, stabilization of corneal epithelia, and decreased corneal neovascularization and photophobia after an average follow-up of 17.2 months. Three patients (25%) had rejection episodes, with no disturbance in corneal surface in two. Two of these three patients had 100% incompatible HLA donor-recipient pairs; HLA of the third patient was not available. Patients with favorable evolution were either HLA identical or haplo-identical (50% identity) with their donors. Donor eyes did not present any epithelial problems during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human leukocyte antigen-matched allogenic conjunctival transplantation proved to be an adequate method of treating severe bilateral surface disorders, with minimal complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwitko
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barcaro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bocaccio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rymer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neumann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens