Suspension made with amniotic membrane: Clinical trial

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Ocular surface diseases pose significant challenges to vision and eye health.
• Conventional therapies for corneal defects often have limited efficacy or carry risks.
• Amniotic membrane transplantation is an established treatment, but invasive procedures can be a concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the therapeutic potential of an amniotic membrane suspension for various ocular surface diseases.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of this novel, less invasive treatment modality.

Main Methods:

• A suspension of homogenized amniotic membrane was prepared and administered to 21 patients with diverse ocular surface conditions.
• Patients had failed to respond to at least four months of conventional therapy.
• Evaluations included fluorescein staining, assessment of epithelial integrity, inflammation, symptoms, and impression cytology.

Main Results:

• All patients showed complete epithelial healing and negative fluorescein staining within 15-30 days.
• Significant reduction in inflammation and improvement in patient-reported symptoms were observed.
• Impression cytology revealed a notable recovery of corneal cytologic status, with decreased CK19+ cells.

Conclusions:

• The amniotic membrane suspension is a safe and effective treatment for ocular surface diseases.
• This therapy is less traumatic than amniotic membrane implants and can be repeated.
• It shows promise for managing corneal superficial defects and promoting corneal recovery.