Amniotic membrane transplantation: An option for ocular surface disorders

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Ocular surface disorders (OSD) present significant treatment challenges, potentially leading to severe morbidity and vision loss.
• Keratoplasty is often the last resort for severe OSD.
• Amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) is a recognized therapeutic option for ocular surface pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) for a diverse range of ocular surface disorders (OSD).
• To assess AMT's ability to provide symptomatic relief, reduce inflammation, and improve ocular surface healing.
• To determine if AMT can delay or obviate the need for keratoplasty.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective evaluation of 65 patients undergoing AMT for various OSD by a single surgeon.
• Fresh amniotic membrane was utilized in all cases.
• Follow-up assessments focused on achieving predefined treatment goals, including symptom reduction, improved healing, and visual acuity.

Main Results:

• Indications included pterygium, corneal ulcers, chemical burns, and bullous keratopathy.
• Successful symptomatic relief was observed in patients with ulcers, burns, and keratopathy.
• Improved epithelialization and stromal healing were noted in corneal ulcer cases.
• Low recurrence rates for pterygium (4.61%) and minimal graft rejection (3.07%) were reported.
• AMT demonstrated success in achieving intended therapeutic effects across various indications.

Conclusions:

• Amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) is effective for managing diverse ocular surface pathologies.
• AMT successfully achieves symptomatic relief, enhances epithelialization and stromal healing, and improves vision.
• The procedure effectively reduces inflammation, corneal haze, and disease recurrence with a low complication rate.