title: Preliminary results from the comparison of simple limbal epithelial transplantation with conjunctival limbal autologous transplantation in severe unilateral chronic ocular burns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes of simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET) with conjunctival-limbal autologous transplantation (CLAU) in severe unilateral ocular chemical burns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients of unilateral chronic ocular burns with more than 270° limbal stem cell deficiency and a healthy fellow eye were divided into two groups - ten patients of Group A underwent SLET while ten patients of Group B were operated for CLAU. Patients were followed up for 6 months and assessed for a stable epithelialized ocular surface, extent of reduction in vascularization and forniceal reconstruction, improvement in corneal clarity and visual acuity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A stable epithelialized corneal surface was obtained in all patients, with a significant reduction in the mean clock hours of vascularization in both the groups (P < 0.001). The mean symblepharon score showed a statistically significant reduction from 1.80 ± 1.14 to 0.30 ± 0.63 in Group A and 1.70 ± 1.06 to 0.15 ± 0.24 in Group B at 6 months. Corneal clarity, as well as best-corrected visual acuity, showed a statistically significant improvement in both the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the procedures, SLET and CLAU, were equally effective in achieving a stable ocular surface, forniceal reconstruction, and regression of corneal vascularization. The requirement of minimal donor tissue in SLET makes it a preferred option over CLAU in cases of uniocular chronic ocular burns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Guru Nanak Eye Centre (Affiliated to Maulana Azad Medical College), Maharaja Ranjit Singh Marg, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ritu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Guru Nanak Eye Centre (Affiliated to Maulana Azad Medical College), Maharaja Ranjit Singh Marg, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Pallavi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dokania
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Guru Nanak Eye Centre (Affiliated to Maulana Azad Medical College), Maharaja Ranjit Singh Marg, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Aditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manudhane
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Guru Nanak Eye Centre (Affiliated to Maulana Azad Medical College), Maharaja Ranjit Singh Marg, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Jawahar Lal
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Goyal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult