Amniotic membrane transplantation for ocular surface reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of amniotic membrane transplantation in various indications for ocular surface reconstruction. METHOD: Amniotic membrane transplantations were performed in 140 eyes (130 patients) for ocular surface reconstruction. The indications for the corneal group were limbal stem cell deficiency, bullous keratopathy, persistent epithelial defect, band keratopathy, prosthesis, corneal ulcer and acute chemical burn. The indications for the conjunctival group were grafts for pterygium, conjunctival tumors, symblepharon, and covering the scleral graft. RESULTS: Success was noted in 75.7 per cent (106/140) eyes, partial success in 17.9 per cent (25/140) eyes, and failure in 6.4 per cent (9/140) eyes for a mean follow-up of 6.6 months (1-19 months). The success and partial success rate were 80.6 per cent (54/67), 14.9 per cent (10/67) in the corneal group and 71.2 per cent (52/73), 20.6 per cent (15/73) in the conjunctival group. CONCLUSION: Amniotic membrane transplantation can solve some difficult ocular surface problems, and can be used to promote epithelial healing, reduce inflammation and scarring.

Epithelial lacrimal gland tumour.

The authors had studied retrospectively 14 patients with epithelial lacrimal gland tumours at the Department of Ophtalmology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, between January 1991 and December 1994. 10 patients (71.43%) were male and 4 patients (28.57%) were female. In 8 cases (57.14%) the right eye was affected, in 6 (42.86%) the left. The age range was 13-72 years, average 33.57 years. The chief complaints were proptosis and palpable mass. The direction of the globe was downward displacement and downward and medial displacement. The pathological sections showed 9 benign mixed tumours or pleomorphic adenoma (64.29%) and 5 adenoid cystic adenoma (35.71%).

Malignant melanoma of the choroid.

The authors studied retrospectively the cases of malignant melanoma of the choroids from the Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital from January 1987 to December 1994. 6 cases were found, 2 men and 4 women. The age range was 40-56 years, mean 51 years. The chief complaints were due to the complications of the tumor, 2 cases were due to eyes pain secondary from glaucoma, 2 cases were loss of vision due to retinal detachment, 1 case was due to intraocular mass and 1 case was due to proptosis. 5 cases were enucleated, 1 case was exenterated due to extraocular extension and orbital invasion and liver metastasis, finally died.