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Ectrodactyly-Ectodermal Dysplasia-Cleft Syndrome: Ocular Findings and Surgical Treatment
Lea D Grauhan1, Adrian Gericke, Felix B Brueggemann
1Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Purpose:
Ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-cleft (EEC) syndrome is a rare genetic disorder. We present ocular findings and their treatment in patients with EEC.
Methods And Results:
We report on 3 female patients (aged 59, 45, and 11 years) suffering from EEC with varying extraocular and ocular severity of phenotypic expression of the disease. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy, visual acuity, and medical treatment were evaluated over 4 months to 4 years. All patients experienced visual impairment and foreign body sensation. Examination revealed bilateral chronic blepharitis, dry eye syndrome, and corneal vascularization and clouding due to limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Patient #1 presented a corneal ulcer with severe stromal thinning on the right eye. Allogeneic simple limbal epithelial transplantation (allo SLET), penetrating keratoplasty combined with allo SLET, and in total 5 amniotic membrane transplantation were performed to preserve the integrity of the eye. In patients #2 and #3, conservative therapy with lubricant eye drops, topical steroids, and antibiotics was sufficient to stabilize LSCD. In all cases, corneal epithelialization and improvement of visual acuity were achieved.
Conclusions And Importance:
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of surgical treatment in a patient with EEC. Allo SLET may be a surgical option to treat LSCD associated with EEC.
