[Amniotic membrane transplantation in severe corneal epithelial diseases. Preliminary results].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) in severe corneal epithelial diseases.


METHODS
Amniotic membrane transplantation was performed in 14 eyes of 14 patients from four groups: A, five severe ocular burns; B, four cases of cicatricial keratoconjunctivitis; C, three persistent epithelial defects after penetrating keratoplasty; D, two cases of pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Five patients underwent AMT alone; two patients underwent AMT combined with limbal transplantation; the other three patients had limbal transplantation performed before AMT. Eight patients required combined penetrating keratoplasty. Patients with corneal stable reepithelialization, no corneal neovascularization, and no recurrence of the initial pathology were considered successful.


RESULTS
The mean follow-up was 7+/-3 months. All but three patients underwent corneal reepithelialization within 6 weeks of AMT, with a mean healing time of 31+/-23 days. The success rate was 75% at 6 months (Kaplan-Meier method). Three of four procedures in group B failed. In eight patients, visual acuity improved, in one it worsened, and in the last five patients it remained unchanged. Visual acuity increased by an average of 7+/-9 lines.


CONCLUSIONS
AMT is a useful technique for ocular surface reconstruction, especially in association with limbal transplantation. It could also improve the prognosis of penetrating keratoplasty in patients with severe corneal conditions.
Zito
E
E
Pôle hospitalo-universitaire d'Ophtalmologie Saint Antoine-Quinze-Vingts, Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des XV-XX, 28, rue de Charenton, 75571 Paris Cedex 12, France.
Borderie
V
V
Touzeau
O
O
Bourcier
T
T
Allouch
C
C
Laroche
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000601:surgery*; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000009:adverse effects; D016850:Limbus Corneae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors