[Amniotic membrane transplantation for oculopalpebral and reconstructive surgery]

Amniotic membrane has been used for many years for ocular surface defects. It is also commonly used in laboratories for cellular growth. Amniotic membrane has antiadhesive properties, can promote epithelialization, and decrease neovascularization, inflammation, and fibrosis. There is no histocompatibility problem, as amniotic membrane has no HLA antigens. In this study, amniotic membrane transplantation was used for oculopalpebral and reconstructive surgery as an alternative to the oral mucous graft, particularly in the reconstruction of the conjunctival fornices after inflammatory disease, burns, conjunctival tumors, and enucleation with orbital implants.

Forty-eight interventions using amniotic membrane transplantation were done on 44 patients. In 16 cases conjunctival fornices were created or reconstructed, allowing the installation of an ocular prosthesis; 14 had reconstruction of fornices for inflammatory disease, or chemical or thermal burns; 11 had palpebral skin and conjunctival reconstruction (malformations or skin tumours); and seven cases had conjunctival reconstruction after conjunctival tumor excision.

Thirty-nine cases presented good functional and cosmetic results. One case had no follow-up. Eight cases gave poor results: four cases of conjunctival fornix refection (with two irradiated cavities), three cases of fornix reconstruction after chemical burn, and one case in whom palpebral reconstruction partially failed (coloboma).

Functional and cosmetic results were good for 39 cases, allowing ocular prosthetic equipment when necessary. In nine cases, two complete fornix retractions and two partial fornix retractions were observed; one palpebral reconstruction for malformation partially failed; and four cases (two with amniotic membrane and two with oral mucus graft) required a second surgery to obtain a satisfactory result. Amniotic membrane transplantation is an excellent alternative material to oral mucous membrane in oculopalpebral and reconstructive surgery except when graft rigidity is necessary. Its use is more difficult in cases of chemical burns or after orbital irradiation.