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Amniotic membrane transplant may thwart corneal ulceration after chemical or thermal trauma
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In the case of prompt administration, amniotic membrane transplantation may thwart persistent corneal ulceration and aid in epithelialization in most patients with severe chemical and thermal eye injuries, according to a study.
The retrospective analysis of interventional case series included 55 amniotic membrane transplants (AMT) in 53 eyes of 53 patients.
Thirty-nine patients presented with chemical injuries, 12 patients presented with thermal injuries and two had combined chemical and thermal injuries.
Further corneal ulcerations were prevented in 54 of 55 cases, and epithelialization occurred in 42 of the 55 patients at a mean of 24.2 days after implantation. Only three of these patients had a recurrence of corneal defect.
Of the 42 successful patients, post-operative visual acuity improved two or more lines compared to pre-operative visual acuity in 15 of the 42 patients with corneal epithelialization, did not change in 18 patients and decreased on one line in nine patients.
Further controlled clinical trials are warranted to assess AMT efficacy compared to conventional treatment approaches of chemical and thermal injuries, the researchers wrote.
Disclosure: The study authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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