Amniotic membrane transplantation for reconstruction of corneal epithelial surface in cases of partial limbal stem cell deficiency.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of amniotic membrane for treatment of partial limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD).


METHODS
Medical records of four patients with partial LSCD who underwent pannus resection and amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) were reviewed for ocular surface stability and improvement in visual acuity. Clinico-histopathological correlation was done with the resected pannus tissue.


RESULTS
All the eyes exhibited stable corneal epithelial surface by an average of 7 weeks postoperatively with improvement in subjective symptoms. Best corrected visual acuity improved from preoperative (range: 6/9p-6/120) to postoperative (range: 6/6p-6/15) by an average of 4.5 lines on Snellen visual acuity charts. Histopathological examination of excised tissue showed features of conjunctivalisation.


CONCLUSIONS
Amniotic membrane transplantation appears to be an effective means of reconstructing the corneal epithelial surface and for visual rehabilitation of patients with partial limbal stem cell deficiency. It may be considered as an alternative primary procedure to limbal transplantation in these cases.
Sangwan
Virender S
VS
Sudhakar & Sreekanth Ravi Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. vsangwan@lvpei.org
Matalia
Himanshu P
HP
Vemuganti
Geeta K
GK
Rao
Gullapalli N
GN
D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D001684:Biological Dressings; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity