Modified Simple Limbal Epithelial Transplant for the Treatment of Symblepharon in Cats: A Pilot Study

To describe a surgical technique to treat keratoconjunctival symblepharon with a modified simple limbal epithelial transplant (SLET).

Four cats underwent an autologous modified SLET from a normal contralateral eye to the recipient eye. Patients were scored preoperatively and postoperatively based on the degree of cornea affected and the corneal clarity.

Three of the four cases had significant improvements in both their corneal clarity scores and the amount of cornea occupied by conjunctiva. One case developed a corneal infection in the recipient eye 1 month postoperatively, with minimal improvements being made to the corneal clarity.

This study suggests that autologous limbal transplants can be an effective surgical treatment for unilateral feline keratoconjunctival symblepharon. Compared to published results of surgical removal alone, limbal transplants can result in more corneal clarity and less cornea affected by symblepharon. Further investigation is warranted to refine the procedure as well as determine whether allogenic transplantation is effective in cases of bilateral symblepharon.