PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of amniotic membrane (AM) as an adjunct to the treatment of corneal and scleral thinnings. METHODS: Amniotic membrane was obtained at the time of cesarean section and was preserved at -80ºC in glycerol and cornea culture media at a ratio of 1:1. Seven eyes from 7 patients were divided into Group 1: neurotrophic ulcers secondary to herpes simplex virus keratitis (2 cases), after corneal transplantation (1 case), and post palpebral radiation (1 case); and Group 2: scleral thinning after pterygium surgery with (2 cases) or without (1 case) beta-therapy. All cases underwent amniotic membrane transplantation to restore thickness and promote epithelialization. RESULTS: Mean follow-up time was 12 months (range, 11-15 months). One case of neurotrophic ulcer secondary to radiotherapy was unsuccessful. A successful outcome was observed in the other 6 cases. Regarding visual acuity, 1 case improved and the other 6 cases remained unchanged. The mean epithelialization time was 26.6 ± 5.8 days for group 1 and 10.6 ± 4.0 days for group 2. CONCLUSIONS: The use of amniotic membrane represents a useful alternative to ocular surface reconstruction in corneal and scleral thinning. More cases and a longer follow up are necessary to better evaluate this procedure.
Amnion; Fetal tissue transplantation; Tissue preservation; Homologous transplantation; Cornea; Cornea; Conjunctiva; Sclera; Corneal epithelium; Follow-up
