Early Effect of Autologous Limbal Transplantation Immediately following Total Limbal Injury in Rabbits

ABSTRACT

Limbal epithelium plays a great role in reconstruction of damaged corneal epithelium and early limbal transplantation showed better results in limbal injury.However, there is no consensus about the appropriate time for limbal transplantation.We, therefore, investigated the results of autologous limbal transplantation (ALT)immediately following limbal epithelial injury in rabbits.We classified the rabbits in three groups whether the application of ALT and therapeutic contact lens were done or not.Injury of limbal and corneal epithelium was made by application of n-heptanol and tarsorrhaphy was done in all groups.ALT from the healthy fellow eye was done in Group 1 and Group 2 but not in Group 3, control group.Therapeutic soft contact lens was applied to Group 2 after ALT.We evaluated epithelial defect, haze, and neovascularization of corneas at 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks after operation.We also examined tissue specimen of corneas after two weeks of operation.Epithelial defect was almost healed within 2 weeks after operation in Group 1 and Group 2, but Group 3 showed persistent epithelial defect. Corneal neovascularization and haze were the most severe in Group 3, but was not so severe in Group 1 and Group 2, and there was no significant difference between the two groups.On histopathologic examination, Group 1 and Group 2 showed almost normal corneal epithelium though a few inflammatory cells and goblet cells were observed in some cases but control group showed severe inflammaton and many new vessels and goblet cells.In conclusion, ALT immediately following severe limbal injury is effective in reconstructing corneal epithelium.