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Conjunctival melting syndrome associated with the use of bovine pericardium wrapping material
Maziar Bidar1, Michael J Hawes, Steven C Dresner
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80045, USA.
Purpose:
To report 18 cases of unusually large, early conjunctival breakdown occurring with the use of bovine pericardium wrapping material for orbital implants.
Methods:
Retrospective case series. The clinical course and histopathologic features of 18 cases of early conjunctival breakdown in patients who had undergone orbital implantation of bovine pericardium-wrapped hydroxyapatite or porous polyethylene are reviewed.
Results:
Eighteen patients presented with unusually large (average 13.44 mm) conjunctival defects over bovine pericardium-wrapped implants. The average time from enucleation to exposure was approximately 4 months. Implants had to be removed in 8 of 18 cases. There was clinical and histologic evidence of tissue inflammation and conjunctival melting.
Conclusions:
The conjunctival melting phenomenon we report herein is alarming. We have abandoned the use of bovine pericardium as a wrapping material for implants after enucleation because of the unfavorable results.
