RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Amniotic membrane transplantation for severe neurotrophic corneal ulcers
JF British Journal of Ophthalmology
JO Br J Ophthalmol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 826
OP 833
DO 10.1136/bjo.84.8.826
VO 84
IS 8
A1 Hong-Jeng Chen
A1 Renato T F Pires
A1 Scheffer C G Tseng
YR 2000
UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/84/8/826.abstract
AB AIMS To evaluate whether amniotic membrane transplantation can be an effective alternative treatment for neurotrophic corneal ulcers. METHODS Amniotic membrane transplantation was performed in 16 eyes of 15 patients with neurotrophic corneal ulcers and vision equal to or worse than 20/200. The neurotrophic state was developed following keratoplasty (four eyes), herpes zoster ophthalmicus (four eyes), diabetes mellitus (four eyes), radiation (two eyes), removal of acoustic neuroma with neuroparalysis (one eye), and herpes simplex keratitis (one eye). RESULTS During a mean follow up period of 18.8 (SD 13.0) months, one to three layers of amniotic membrane with or without additional membrane as a patch were used for 17 procedures in 16 eyes for persistent neurotrophic corneal ulcers. All but four (76.4%) instances of amniotic membrane transplantation achieved rapid epithelialisation in 16.6 (9.0) days. Of the four eyes showing delayed healing, three eyes healed by tarsorrhaphy, and the remaining one eye with corneal perforation required penetrating keratoplasty and tarsorrhaphy. Two eyes gained vision better than 20/200. The healed corneal surface was accompanied by reduced inflammation. CONCLUSION Amniotic membrane transplantation can be considered an effective alternative for treating severe neurotrophic corneal ulcers.