title: Treatment of ligneous conjunctivitis with amniotic membrane transplantation and topical cyclosporine.
abstract: Ligneous conjunctivitis (LC) is a rare form of bilateral chronic recurrent disease in which thick membranes form on the palpebral conjunctiva and other mucosal sites. We report the clinical features and describe the management of two cases. Case 1 was an 8-month-old patient with bilateral membranous conjunctivitis. Case 2 was a 5-year-old patient with unilateral membranous conjunctivitis, esotropia, mechanical ptosis and complicated cataract, and had been treated with a number of medications. Histological investigation of the membrane in both cases showed LC. Treatments with amniotic membrane transplantation and institution of topical cyclosporine have shown good response. There has been complete resolution of the membranes with no recurrence at the end of 40- and 28-month follow-ups, respectively. No treatment related side effects were seen. Thus, it appears that amniotic membrane transplantation and topical cyclosporine are effective alternatives for the treatment of LC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozlem Yalcin
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Tok
authors.forename: Fatma Akbas
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Kocaoglu
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tok
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burcu
authors.forename: Firdevs
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ornek
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D001706:Biopsy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine