Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2025
Establishing a Severe Corneal Inflammation Model in Rats Based on Corneal Epithelium Curettage Combined with Corneal Sutures
Published on: November 22, 2024
Pillar tarsoconjunctival flap: An alternative approach for the management of refractory corneal ulcer
Francisco Zamorano-Martin1, Carlos Rocha-de-Lossada2,3,4, Marina Rodriguez-Calvo-de-Mora1
1Department of Ophthalmology, 16330Regional University Hospital of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.
Purpose:
To report the effectiveness of the surgical procedure of the tarsoconjunctival flap (FTC) in patients with severe ocular surface impairment refractory to previous conventional treatments.
Methods:
A retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive case series.
Results:
Pillar tarsoconjunctival flap (PTCF) was performed in eight eyes of eight patients. Three patients had neurotrophic corneal ulcer (NCU), three had exposure keratopathy and two had corneal melting. Seven of them had satisfactory postoperative results, showing total corneal re-epithelialization that lasted throughout the postoperative follow-up (mean 10.33 ± 2.65 months [SD], range 6 to 12 months). Mean time for the re-epithelization was 11.28 ± 8.97 days [SD] (range 4 to 30 days).
Conclusion:
This study suggest PTCF is a valid alternative to tarsorrhaphy in cases of persistent epithelial defect (PED) or NCU resistant to conventional treatments. Notwithstanding, prospective comparative trials comparing PTFC with conventional and/or novel therapies in PED or NCU are needed to corroborate these findings.
