Posters

Amniotic membrane grafting for external ocular surface rehabilitation in pediatric age

Poster Details

First Author: S.Crisostomo PORTUGAL

Co Author(s):    R. Proenca   J. Cardigos   A. Basilio   V. Maduro   A. Toscano  

Abstract Details

Purpose:

In pediatric age, the reconstruction of the ocular surface requires particular caution, whereas the use of amniotic membranes has not been specifically addressed for this matter, in scientific literature. In the present study the authors try to evaluate the efficacy of amniotic membrane grafting for the reconstruction of the ocular surface in pediatric age.

Setting:

Ophthalmology Department - Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Central - CHLC. Sara Crisóstomo; Rita Proença, Joana Cardigos, Ana Luisa Basílio, Vitor Maduro, Alcina Toscano.

Methods:

Retrospective case series, involving all pediatric patients treated with amniotic membrane grafts for ocular surface rehabilitation between 2008 and 2015 in the Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Central(n=6). Two patients had extensive ocular surface burns and four patients had inflammatory or neoformative lesions. The patients were divided in two groups, based on the presence or absence of limbal stem cell deficiency. Main outcome variables were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after surgery, reepithelization time, ocular movement amplitudes before and after surgery, complications, relapses and final aesthetic result. The follow-up time ranged between 4 and 83 months.

Results:

A complete success was observed in all patients without limbal stem cell deficiency (50% of total patients), a partial success was observed in two patients with limbal stem cell deficiency (33.3%), while one patient was declared failure (16.7%). The mean relapse time was 8.3 +/- 6.8 months. No complications were reported. One of the two patients with BVCA compromise due to corneal pathology had an improvement of 6 lines. Increased ocular movement amplitudes and an improved aesthetic result where observed in all patients with prior compromise.

Conclusions:

Amniotic membrane grafting proved to be very useful for the rehabilitation of the ocular surface in pediatric age. It may be used as a single or co-adjuvant treatment. In patients without limbal stem cell deficiency better outcomes could be observed. There was no increase in the incidence of complications or rejections when compared to similar studies in the adult population. FINANCIAL DISCLOUSRE: NONE