Autologous limbal transplantation in unilateral chemical burns.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the results of autologous limbal transplantation in the treatment of unilateral chemical burns.


METHODS
Two patients, a 40-year-old male (case 1) and a 35-year-old male (case 2), experienced grade III chemical trauma and were treated with autologous limbal grafting (case 1) after a postaccident period of 3 and 9 months, respectively. Change in visual acuity, epithelial healing time and postsurgical topography healing patterns were documented.


RESULTS
Snellen visual acuity improved from 0.1 to 1.0 in both cases. Epithelial healing time for cases 1 and 2 were 4 and 2 weeks, respectively. Corneal topography of case 1 showed an induced inferior steepness type of asymmetrical astigmatism in the graft area. Serial topography showed no induced astigmatism in the donor eyes.


CONCLUSIONS
Autologous limbal grafting is an adequate treatment for selected cases of unilateral chemical burns and facilitates rapid improvement in visual function. Early limbal grafting in case 1 resulted in rapid re-epithelialization and prevention of complications.
Nuijts
R M
RM
Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.
D000328:Adult; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D019781:Corneal Topography; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000293:injuries / Q000637:transplantation*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014945:Wound Healing