title: Ocular surface reconstruction using amniotic membrane following excision of conjunctival and limbal tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the clinical results of patients treated by preserved human amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) following the removal of conjunctival and limbal tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective noncomparative interventional case series of 9 patients (9 eyes) who underwent AMT after removal of conjunctival and limbal tumors with lesion-free margins and perilesional cryotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The excised tumors were histopathologically examined and included 2 squamous cell carcinomas, 2 papillomas, and 5 nevi. Bulbar conjunctiva was involved in all of the eyes, limbus and cornea in 7 and 3 eyes, respectively. The mean extent of the limbal involvement was 4 clock hours (range 2-9, SD 2.4); the average diameter of the base of the tumor was 12.8 mm (range 10-20, SD 4.4). The mean follow-up time was 38 months (range 13-60, SD 15). No surgical or early postoperative complications were observed. In all eyes, complete healing of the tissue defect occurred, resulting in a stable, wet, and noninflamed epithelium. All eyes demonstrated a smooth ocular surface except one with a clinically insignificant symblepharon after the excision of a squamous cell carcinoma. Superficial peripheral corneal vascularization and opacification as a sign of partial limbal stem cell deficiency developed in 2 eyes. In one case, a recurrence of conjunctival papilloma was diagnosed after a 3-year follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amniotic membrane transplantation is an effective method of reconstruction following a conjunctival and limbal tumor excision and cryotherapy of surgical wound margins. In most cases, complete healing of an ocular surface can be achieved without any clinically significant complications.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania. rimvydas.asoklis@santa.lt
authors.forename: Rimvydas S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Asoklis
authors.forename: Aiste
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damijonaityte
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Butkiene
authors.forename: Almantas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makselis
authors.forename: Donatas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petroska
authors.forename: Mykolas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pajaujis
authors.forename: Grazina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juodkaite
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D001684:Biological Dressings; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D017679:Cryotherapy; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000601:surgery; D010212:Papilloma / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult