title: Clinical and impression cytology findings of amniotic membrane and oral mucosal membrane transplantation for the management of socket contracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate and compare the cytopathological and clinical effects of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and oral mucosal membrane transplantation (OMMT) in socket contraction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients who could not be fitted with ocular prosthesis due to socket contracture were included in this study. Seven patients underwent AMT and 5 patients underwent OMMT. Thirteen patients who had healthy sockets were included as control group. Depth of inferior fornix, degree of inflammation, extent of the socket contracture and socket volume were measured in the preoperative period and at sixth and twelfth weeks postoperatively. Impression cytology of conjunctival fornices and tear transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFβ1) levels were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the AMT group, socket volume and lower fornix depth values were significantly higher (P=0.030 and P=0.004 respectively) and inflammation levels and impression cytology stages (P=0.037 and P=0.022 respectively) were significantly lower in postoperative period compared to preoperative period. In the OMMT group, no statistical differences were found in terms of clinical parameters, inflammation levels and impression cytology stages of preoperative versus postoperative values. Preoperative tear TGFβ1 levels were higher in AMT and OMMT groups compared to the control group (25.5 ng/mL, 26.3 ng/mL and 21.7 ng/mL respectively). Decreased tear TGFβ1 levels were observed in both the AMT and OMMT groups postoperatively (median decrease value=2.1 ng/mL and 2.7 ng/mL respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AMT is associated with postoperative improvement in inferior fornix depth, socket volume, inflammation and impression cytology levels and may be a more proper alternative method than OMMT in the management of socket contracture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bengi Ece
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Kurtul
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Erdener
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Cem
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mocan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irkec
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orhan
keywords: amniotic membrane; oral mucosal membrane; socket reconstruction