Treatment of recurrent corneal erosions using autologous serum.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of autologous serum in the treatment of recurrent corneal erosions.


METHODS
Eleven eyes of 11 consecutive patients with acute macroform corneal erosions who had suffered several relapses despite receiving different types of treatment were analyzed from November 2000 to February 2002. All patients were treated with autologous serum for 3 months.


RESULTS
Mean follow-up time was 9.4 +/- 3.7 months (range, 4-16). No side effects were noted in any of the treated patients. Treatments prior to the use of autologous serum had failed to avoid recurrences in all the patients, with the mean recurrence rate being 2.2 recurrences per month of follow-up. After the onset of serum treatment, only a single recurrence was recorded in three of the patients (0.028 recurrences per month of follow-up).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of autologous serum for the treatment of patients with recurrent corneal erosion is effective and safe in reducing the number of recurrences experienced by patients.
del Castillo
Jose Manuel Benítez
JM
Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
de la Casa
Jose Maria Martínez
JM
Sardiña
Ricardo Cuiña
RC
Fernández
Rosalia Méndez
RM
Feijoo
Julian García
JG
Gómez
Alfredo Castillo
AC
Rodero
Maria Matilla
MM
Sánchez
Julian García
JG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001769:Blood; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012449:Safety; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome