Amniotic membrane as an adjunct to donor sclera in the repair of exposed glaucoma drainage devices.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a novel method of repairing exposed glaucoma drainage devices (GDD) using amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) in place of conjunctiva to cover donor sclera when conjunctival closure is hampered by adjacent scarring.


METHODS
Retrospective noncomparative interventional case series.


METHODS
Consecutive case series of nine GDD erosions over 5 years repaired by a double-layer technique of scleral allograft plus AMT.


RESULTS
Successful repair was achieved in seven cases. One GDD plate re-eroded after pars plana vitrectomy; a second leaked from the tube entry site.


CONCLUSIONS
AMT is a safe and useful conjunctival substitute to cover donor sclera in situations where conjunctival scarring might otherwise preclude successful repair.
Rai
Poornima
P
Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162 City Road, London EC1V 2PD, United Kingdom.
Lauande-Pimentel
Roberto
R
Barton
Keith
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000601:surgery*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012590:Sclera / Q000637:transplantation*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014019:Tissue Donors