Amniotic membrane transplantation for limbal pathological changes of vernal keratoconjunctivitis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

ABSTRACT

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of annular bubble conjunctival excision combining with amniotic membrane transplantation(AMT) for vernal keratoconjunctivitis(VKC) with gelatinous swellings(papillae) at the limbus.METHODS: Twenty eyes(10 patients) with VKC, were characterized by gelatinous swellings(papillae) at limbus and were underwent annular bubble conjunctival excision associated with AMT. The follow up ranged 5-21months.RESULTS: After operation, the symptoms were subsided remarkably itching,discharge and foreign body sensation were almost disappear; photophobia and tearing were obvious in the first week after surgery, but were gradually alleviated, and almost disappear after one month of postoperative.Yellow-brown or filthy red gelatinous protuberances at limbus were cleaned away by operation and did not recur during the follow up. Corneal superficial punctuate keratitis(11 eyes) and corneal ulcers(3 eyes) were healed during the first week after surgery and did not recur. Conjunctival congestion was gradually lessened after surgery, which could not be noted 1months after surgery in 19 eyes, and the conjunctiva around the limbus, where AMT was performed, was whiter than the normal. But conjunctival congestion in 1 eye lasted for about 5mon accompanying with a little of itch, and this eye was treated with eyedrops with improvement but recurrence. No severe complications had been seen during the follow up.CONCLUSION: Annular bubble conjunctival excision combining with amniotic membrane transplantation is an effective and safe method for the treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis with gelatinous swellings (papillae) at limbus. But the candidates must be chosen with discretion.