Amniotic membrane transplantation for partial and total limbal stem cell deficiency secondary to chemical burn.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the surgical outcome of preserved amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) for ocular surface reconstruction in chemical burn with limbal stem cell deficiency.


METHODS
Prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.


METHODS
Twenty eyes of 20 consecutive patients with limbal stem cell deficiency secondary to ocular chemical injury.


METHODS
AMT with or without adjunctive limbal transplantation using limbal tissue from either the healthy contralateral eye (CLAU) or a living related donor (lr-CLAL).


METHODS
Reconstruction of corneal epithelium (clear appearance without epithelial defect, normal fluorescein permeability and the absence of conjunctiva-derived goblet cells on impression cytology), decrease in corneal vascularization and improvement in visual acuity.


RESULTS
With a mean follow-up time of 19 months (range, 8-27 months), satisfactory ocular surface reconstruction was obtained in 15 eyes (75%), with reduced inflammation and vascularization of the ocular surface and a mean epithelialization time of 3.3 weeks. Success was observed in all cases of partial limbal stem cell deficiency (PLD) and in 68.75% (11 eyes) of cases of total limbal stem cell deficiency (TLD). Surgical failure was observed in five severe cases (31.25%). A significant visual improvement was observed in all cases after surgery, except for 2 eyes that maintained preoperative visual acuity.


CONCLUSIONS
AMT seems to be an efficient adjunct for ocular surface reconstruction in chemical burns with PLD. When performed in conjunction with limbal stem cell transplantation, it is also effective in most cases of TLD.
Gomes
José Alvaro Pereira
JA
Cornea and External Disease Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), R. Sabará, 566 Cjuto. 212, 01239-010 São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
dos Santos
Myrna Serapião
MS
Cunha
Marcelo Carvalho
MC
Mascaro
Vera Lúcia Degaspare
VL
Barros
Jeison de Nadai
Jde N
de Sousa
Luciene Barbosa
LB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000637:transplantation*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D014021:Tissue Preservation; D014792:Visual Acuity