title: Umbilical cord blood serum therapy for the management of persistent corneal epithelial defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of umbilical cord blood serum (CBS) therapy in cases with persistent corneal epithelial defects (PED).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen eyes of 14 patients with PED who were resistant to conventional treatment were treated with 20% umbilical cord serum eye drops. Patients were followed-up weekly until epithelization was complete. The collected data included the grade of corneal lesion (Grade I: epithelial defect+superficial vascularization, Grade II: epithelial defect+stromal edema, Grade III: corneal ulcer+stromal melting), the size of epithelial defect (pretreatment, 7(th), 14(th) and 21(st) days of treatment), and follow-up time was evaluated retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean size of epithelial defect on two perpendicular axes was 5.2×4.6-mm(2) (range: 2.5-8×2.2-9 mm(2)). Mean duration of treatment was 8.3±5wk. CBS therapy was effective in 12 eyes (75%) and ineffective in 4 eyes (25%). The epithelial defects in 4 ineffective eyes were healed with amniotic membrane transplantation and tarsorrhaphy. The rate of complete healing was 12.5% by 7d, 25% by 14d, and 75% by 21d. The healing time was prolonged in Grade III eyes in comparison to eyes in Grade I or Grade II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the current study indicated the safety effectiveness of CBS drops in the management of PED. The grade of disease seems have a role on the healing time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Saricam, Adana 01380, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Saricam, Adana 01380, Turkey.
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yagmur
authors.affiliation: Ermenek State Hospital, Ermenek, Konya 70200, Turkey.
authors.forename: Inan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Harbiyeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Altindag, Ankara 01100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hande
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taylan-Sekeroglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Saricam, Adana 01380, Turkey.
authors.forename: Reha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ersoz
keywords: neurotrophic keratitis; persistent corneal epithelial defect; umbilical cord serum eye drop