Issues of rehabilitation of the patients with symblepharon using oral mucosal autografts

To systematize clinical variants of symblepharon and to analyze rehabilitation availability boundaries in patients with different forms of symblepharons.

Retrospective analysis of clinical cases included 26 patients with local, subtotal, and total symblepharon (ankyloblepharon) with a normal or anophthalmic orbit. In all patients, symblepharon was operated using split- or full-thickness oral mucosal autografts and their fixation with U-shaped stitches and compression plates. Preoperatively and postoperatively, best-corrected visual acuity, IOP, extraocular motility, results of Schirmer I test, and tear break-up time with slit-lamp biomicroscopy were analyzed, as well as additional ultrasound and electrophysiological studies were performed in some cases. Follow-up period lasted from 1.5 to 6 years.

The proposed surgical technique using mucosal autografts in all patients allowed complete anatomical restoration of conjunctival fornices and cavity. It resulted in improvement of visual function in patients with local symblepharon, full restoration of ocular motility in patients with a presence of the eye and provided an opportunity to wear artificial eye in patients with anophthalmia. Nonetheless, loss of conjunctival Krause's and Wolfring lacrimal glands, goblet cells, meibomian glands, and limbal stem cells prevents from further optic keratoplasty in patients with total or subtotal symblepharon on potentially sighted eye.

The most difficult patients for visual rehabilitation were the ones with subtotal or total symblepharon (ankyloblepharon) on potentially sighted eye due to the loss of conjunctival goblet cells, meibomian glands, and limbal stem cells.