Limbal graft and/or amniotic membrane transplantation in the treatment of ocular burns.
Limbal stem cell transplantation (LSCT) and amniotic membrane transplantation may improve corneal recovery after a chemical burn. Amniotic membrane was applied as a patch in 5 eyes; LSCT from healthy contralateral eye was performed in 6 eyes, and a combination of these techniques was performed in 4 eyes. There were no complications during surgical procedure. Epithelization was completed after 2 weeks in patients with LSCT, and after 3 weeks in the amniotic membrane transplantation group. Visual acuity improved in all patients. No complication was observed on either the donor or the recipient eye during a follow-up period of >13 months in all groups. Amniotic membrane is effective in promoting re-epithelization and reducing inflammation when applied alone in patients with 3- to 6-hour limbal involvement, as well as combined with LSCT in patients with >6-hour limbal ischemia. LSCT is an effective procedure for rehabilitation after severe chemical trauma of the eye with more than 50% limbal involvement.
Ivekovic
Renata
R
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia. renata.ivekovic@zg.tel.hr
Tedeschi-Reiner
Eugenia
E
Novak-Laus
Katia
K
Andrijevic-Derk
Biljana
B
Cima
Ivan
I
Mandic
Zdravko
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000601:surgery*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells; D014792:Visual Acuity