We have been performed amniotic membrane transplantation in 18 patients (20 eyes) with 23 operations (3 eyes were regrafted). One month after operation, 90% of the eyes had exellent result, 10% were good. Three months following the transplantation of amniotic membrane, 10 of 17 eyes had excellent result, in 4 of 14 eyes, the symblepharon was reduced. 6 months after the procedure showed that 9 of 14 eyes had excellent result and only 1 eye had recurrence. The sudy showed that human amniotic membrane is good material for reconstruction ocular surface in severe symblepharon. In the eyes with successful transplantation, ocular surface was covered with a soft, thin membrane with vascularization as natural conjunctiva. The material can be easily taken at anytime. The procedure can be applied in every ophthalmological department of provincial hospitals.
Amnion ; Transplantation

Amniotic membrane is composed of amniotic epithelium, basement-membrane and stroma. Amniotic membrane is an easily obtained biomaterial and easily to be also processed, preserved and transported. However, its applicability will not be destroyed after it has been preserved for a long time(about one year). Thus it has been utilized widely in laboratory and clinical surgery. Generally, homologous amniotic membrane does not induce rejection after allotransplantation, and it is a bio-absorbable and degradable material. The purpose of this paper is to review the characteristics of amniotic membrane that makes it potentially useful in promoting tissue repair.
Amnion ; transplantation ; Biological Dressings ; Humans ; Tissue Engineering

Amnion ; surgery ; transplantation ; Animals ; Humans ; Neurons ; transplantation ; Spinal Cord ; transplantation ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; surgery ; Tissue Transplantation ; methods

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcome of multilayer amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) in the cornea which was perforated or had impending perforation due to corneal ulcer. METHODS: Human multilayer amniotic membrane transplantation were performed in patients with perforation or impending perforation of cornea due to herpetic keratopathy (2 eyes of 2 patients) and fungal ulcer (1 eye). The surgical procedure consists of the following steps: First, all cellular debris was carefully removed from the base and the walls of the ulcer and loosened epithelium. In addition 1 to 2 mm zone is created around the ulcer by removal of healthy, adherent epithelium overlaying the normal Bowman membrane. Depending on the depth and the configuration of the ulcer, three or more of small pieces of human amniotic membranes are stacked one above the others to fill the cavity of the ulcer. Finally, a larger piece of membrane is trimmed to cover the ulcer and then secured with interrupted 10-0 nylon suture. RESULTS: The corneal perforations were prevented and the stable ocular surface were achieved in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Human multilayer amniotic membrane transplantation is a useful treatment prior to corneal transplantation and considered as an alternative treatment to keratoplasty for perforation or impending perforation of corneal ulcer.
Amnion* ; Bowman Membrane ; Cornea ; Corneal Perforation ; Corneal Transplantation ; Corneal Ulcer* ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Membranes ; Nylons ; Sutures ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: To emphasize the importance of conjunctival flap or amniotic membrane covering on the scleral allograft for scleral necrosis following pterygium excision. METHODS: Five eyes in four patients showed signs of impending perforation caused by scleral necrosis following pterygium excision, with strontium irradiation in four eyes and with instillation of mitomycin C in the other eye for preventing recurrence of pterygium. All cases were transplanted human sclera stored at -20 degrees C in Eye-Bank. Among them, the patient's own conjunctiva was used to cover the scleral allograft with interrupted sutures in four eyes, where in the other eye the scleral allograft was alternatively covered over by using human amniotic membrane stored at -70 degrees C. RESULTS: The results of all five cases were very successful without any complications during an average follow-up of 19 months (range 6~25 months). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the clinical experiences of these five cases, we concluded that the covering of the scleral allograft with conjunctiva or amniotic membrane is a very important procedure to ensure the successful viability of the scleral allograft, which is a natural structure of the conjunctiva and sclera.
Allografts* ; Amnion ; Conjunctiva ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mitomycin ; Necrosis* ; Pterygium* ; Recurrence ; Sclera ; Strontium ; Sutures ; Transplantation, Homologous*

To evaluate the efficacy of amniotic membrane ransplantation(AMT) in the cornea that was perforated or impending perforation due to recalcitrant corneal ulcer or trauma, we performed AMT on 1 case of acid burn, 2 cases of thermal burn, 1 case of corneoscleral staphyloma with bullae due to previous ocular trauma, 2 cases of keratolysis as a graft rejection after keratoplasty, 3 cases of corneal ulcer. We used one or several layers of amniotic membrane(AM) that preserved in DMEM solution and 10% glycerin(1:1) under-70 degrees C or lyophylized form. As a result, the corneal perforations were prevented and the stable ocular surface were achieved. However, in case of neurotrophic keratopathy, epithelial rebreakdown was occurred after AMT, eventually epithelalization was fulfilled. Therefore, AMT may be a effective alternative method for treating corneal perforation or impending perforation that are refractory to conventional treatment.
Amnion* ; Burns ; Cornea* ; Corneal Perforation ; Corneal Transplantation ; Corneal Ulcer ; Graft Rejection

PURPOSE: To examine the effects, complications, and safeties of sclera allograft and amniotic membrane transplantation with fibrin glue as surgical treatment methods for scleromalacia. METHODS: The study included 14 eyes of 14 scleromalacia patients who needed surgical treatment. Among them, seven eyes of seven patients whose scleral defect was small (<6 mm) were operated on using only fibrin glue and no suturing, while seven eyes of seven patients whose defect was large (>6 mm) were operated on using fibrin glue and minimum suturing. Amniotic membrane transplantation was performed at the site of the conjunctival defect. RESULTS: In all of the cases, the results of grafting were successful throughout the follow-up period, which was 14.6+/-4.4 months, on average (ranging from 12 to 27 months). No particular complication was observed during the follow-up period after using fibrin glue. CONCLUSIONS: For scleromalacia patients, sclera allograft and amniotic membrane transplantation were performed using fibrin glue. The grafted sclera survived successfully, allowing this treatment modality to be considered an effective and safe option without complications.
Amnion ; Eye ; Fibrin ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Safety ; Sclera ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Transplants

PURPOSE: Various studies on amniotic membrane transplantation for ocular surface reconstruction have been reported. To investigate the effect of human amniotic membrane transplantation on corneal fungal ulcer, we reviewed the records of four fungal ulcer patients. METHODS: Human amniotic membranes were transplanted to the diseased corneas under topical anesthesia within 12 hours. RESULTS: After the mean observation period of 8.5 months, cornea was stabilized in all eyes. No aggravation or rejection were observed. Secondary penetrating keratoplasty was performed in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: Amniotic membrane transplantation may be effective to promote corneal wound healing in refractory fungal ulcer and considered as a useful treatment prior to corneal transplantation.
Amnion* ; Anesthesia ; Cornea ; Corneal Transplantation ; Humans* ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Ulcer* ; Wound Healing

No abstract available.
Aged ; Amnion/*transplantation ; Conjunctiva/*surgery ; Female ; Glaucoma/surgery ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications/*surgery ; Trabeculectomy/*adverse effects

Following reports on successful ocular surface reconstruction using amniotic membrane, many trials of amniotic membrane transplantation are being doing to treat various ocular surface diseases. We treated pterygium with amniotic membrane transplantation and assessed the effectiveness of this method. Pterygia in 15 eyes of 15 patients were surgically excised during December 1996 to January 1997. Over the bare sclera, amniotic membrane was attached with sutures. After a mean follow-up of 72+/-20 days. 3 cases were recurred (rate 20%). The complications encountered were: persistent conjunctival injection in 10 cases (67%); pyogenic granuloma in one case (7%); loss of transplanted membrane (7%). No other serious complications were noted. Considering a short follow-up period, the recurrence rate is not low and there is also possibility of recurrence in 10 cases of persistent conjunctival injection. Therefore, this approach appears ineffective compared with other method.
Amnion* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma, Pyogenic ; Humans ; Membranes ; Pterygium* ; Recurrence ; Sclera ; Sutures ; Transplantation