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Amniotic membrane improves ocular surface surgery results
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KAANAPALI, Hawaii — Use of amniotic membrane can enhance pterygium and other ocular surface surgical procedure results, according to a speaker here.
At Hawaiian Eye 2011, OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, presented three techniques for the treatment of conjunctivochalasis and pterygium that he said could easily be in the armamentarium of general ophthalmologists.
"Conjunctival chalasis is a common and painful condition that mimics unremitting dry eye," he said.
Patients present with redundant conjunctiva and characteristic pain on blinking, most typically at the lower eyelid margin. Excision of the redundant conjunctiva with ocular surface reconstruction using amniotic membrane provides rapid resolution of symptoms in properly selected cases using the appropriate technique, which Dr. Hovanesian demonstrated with surgical video.
In pterygium surgery, he said, "recurrence rates can be lowered to less than 1% when amniotic membrane is used prophylactically as a subconjunctival implant to reduce inflammation and fibrosis."
This technique, on which he reported results of more than 250 eyes, involves placing a conjunctival autograft in place of the excised tissue while surrounding the excision site with dehydrated amniotic membrane (AmbioDry2) placed below the conjunctival surface.
- Disclosure: John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, has no relevant financial interests to disclose.
Hawaiian Eye and Retina 2012 will be held January 15-20 at the Grand Wailea Resort & Spa in Maui. Learn more at OSNHawaiianEye.com or RetinaMeeting.com.