Original articleModified Simple Limbal Epithelial Transplantation Using Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane for Unilateral Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency
Section snippets
Methods
This study was a retrospective case series of 4 consecutive patients. Through it, we present our experience at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the Miami Veterans Affairs Hospital using the simple limbal epithelial transplantation technique to manage unilateral partial or complete limbal stem cell deficiency.
The study was conducted in accordance with the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki, federal and Florida laws, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This study was
Results
Demographics and clinical details of the 4 patients are provided in the Table. Two females and 2 males were included with a mean age ± standard deviation of 59.8 ± 10.9 years. Duration of limbal stem cell deficiency varied between 3 and 45 years, with a median of 15.5 years. Two eyes of 2 patients had partial unilateral limbal stem cell deficiency secondary to chemical injury (1 eye) and trauma (1 eye), and 2 eyes had total unilateral limbal stem cell deficiency secondary to chemical injury (1
Discussion
In this study, the simple limbal epithelial transplantation technique was used to restore corneal epithelium in 4 patients with unilateral partial or total stem cell deficiency using cryopreserved amniotic membrane graft. Moreover, a double amniotic membrane graft step was used as modification to protect the transplanted limbal stem cells. This procedure was easy to perform and involves only simple surgical techniques that can be replicated by most ophthalmic surgeons. We strongly believe that
Guillermo Amescua, MD received his medical degree from the Ignacio A. Santos-Tech of Monterrey School of Medicine. He completed an ophthalmology residency at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He then completed two fellowship trainings in Cornea, and Uveitis at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute where he currently is an assistant professor.
His areas of clinical practice are ocular surface and cataracts. His research interests are in infectious keratitis, limbal stem cell deficiency
References (33)
- et al.
Transplantation of ex vivo cultured limbal epithelial stem cells: a review of techniques and clinical results
Surv Ophthalmol
(2007) - et al.
Long-term results of allogeneic penetrating limbo-keratoplasty in total limbal stem cell deficiency
Ophthalmology
(2004) - et al.
Donor site complications in autolimbal and living-related allolimbal transplantation
Ophthalmology
(2011) - et al.
Unusual intermediate-term outcome in three cases of limbal autograft transplantation
Ophthalmology
(1999) - et al.
A comparison between cultivated and conventional limbal stem cell transplantation for Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Am J Ophthalmol
(2007) - et al.
The corneoscleral limbus in human corneal epithelial wound healing
Am J Ophthalmol
(1990) - et al.
Long-term outcome of keratolimbal allograft with or without penetrating keratoplasty for total limbal stem cell deficiency
Ophthalmology
(2002) - et al.
Long-term restoration of damaged corneal surfaces with autologous cultivated corneal epithelium
Lancet
(1997) - et al.
Phenotypic study of a case with successful transplantation of ex vivo expanded human limbal epithelium for unilateral total limbal stem cell deficiency
Ophthalmology
(2002) - et al.
Transplantation of autologous serum-derived cultivated corneal epithelial equivalents for the treatment of severe ocular surface disease
Ophthalmology
(2006)
Reconstruction of limbal stem cell deficient corneal surface with induced human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on amniotic membrane
Transl Res
Tissue engineering of the cornea
Cornea
Limbal stem cell transplantation: an evidence-based analysis
Ont Health Technol Assess Ser
Cornea
Abnormal corneal epithelial wound healing in partial-thickness removal of limbal epithelium
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
Simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET): a novel surgical technique for the treatment of unilateral limbal stem cell deficiency
Br J Ophthalmol
Cited by (0)
Guillermo Amescua, MD received his medical degree from the Ignacio A. Santos-Tech of Monterrey School of Medicine. He completed an ophthalmology residency at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He then completed two fellowship trainings in Cornea, and Uveitis at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute where he currently is an assistant professor.
His areas of clinical practice are ocular surface and cataracts. His research interests are in infectious keratitis, limbal stem cell deficiency and keratoprosthesis.
Victor L. Perez, MD received his medical doctorate from the University of Puerto Rico. He performed his ophthalmology residency training, and cornea and uveitis fellowships at Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmolgy. He completed two research fellowships in Ocular Immunology at Schepens Eye Research Institute and Brigham & Women's Hospital. He is the director of the Ocular Surface Center and is the Walter G. Ross Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmic Research Programs at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.