title: New clinical application of amniotic membrane transplant for ocular surface disease.
abstract: The new defined anatomical and functional complex conjunctiva-limbus-cornea is a new concept, which helps clinicians better understand and treat ocular surface pathologies. The management of the ocular surface disease has changed dramatically over the years, with spectacular improvements of techniques, and of course, results. The amniotic membrane, used as a graft or as a substrate for the cultivation of limbal corneal cells has showed encouraging results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the usefulness of amniotic membrane transplantation in ocular surface pathologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is retrospective. 28 eyes of 28 patients with ocular surface pathologies (ocular burns, recent and old, symblepharon, pterygium, corneal and conjunctival tumors, persistent epithelial defect) underwent an amniotic membrane transplantation during a 1 year period. The necrotic and the scar tissue were first excised in all the patients and the amniotic membrane was sutured with an epithelial face up. Follow up ranged from 1 to 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Good results were obtained in all 28 eyes. The anatomy of cornea and conjunctiva was improved, with limited benefits only in old ocular burn, symblepharon and in one case of extended tumors of the cornea and conjunctiva. Out of 28 eyes, 23 (82%) also had a visual acuity improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The amniotic membrane may be considered a good alternative for ocular surface reconstruction especially in acute status.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  AMT = amniotic membrane transplantation, BCVA = best corrected visual acuity, BUT = break up time.
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gheorghe
authors.affiliation: Clinical Emergency Eye Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pop
authors.affiliation: Clinical Emergency Eye Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burcea
authors.affiliation: "Victor Anastasiu" National Institute for Aeronautical and Spatial Medicine, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serban
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D002056:Burns / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity
keywords: amniotic membrane transplantation; limbal stem cells deficiency; ocular surface