Amniotic Membrane In Ocular Surface Surgery – A 10-Year Clinical Review In A Portuguese Tertiary Hospital

Amniotic membrane (AM) is the innermost layer of the placenta and has been a powerful tool in ocular surface surgery because of its biological properties. AM promotes epithelization, reduces fibrosis, secretes antimicrobial products and inhibits immune responses. The aim of this study is to characterize the group of patients who underwent AM transplantation in our department between 2012 and 2021.

The present study was carried out at Hospital Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal.

A retrospective study of patients who had been submitted to AM transplantation between 2012 and 2021 was performed. Data regarding sex, age, surgical indication, associated diseases, surgical complications, anatomical success and need for a subsequent surgery were collected.

A total of 83 patients, 35 female and 48 male, were included in this study. The number of surgeries per year ranged from 4 to 14. The mean age of patients was 56,8 years (range 8 months-90 years). The indications for AM transplantation were corneal ulcers (40 cases), corneal perforation (24 cases), burn (4 cases), pterygium (4 cases), associated to corneal transplant (3 cases), persistent epithelial defects (3 cases), conjunctival repair (1 case) and others (4 cases). Subsequent surgery was done in 21 cases, which included AM transplantation, penetrating keratoplasty, conjunctival flap covering and evisceration. No complications were found during surgeries. In the postoperative period, 5 incidents were identified.

AM transplantation is a versatile and safe tool in ocular surface surgery. As it is an inexpensive and easy-to-obtain method, the use of AM should be extended to other institutions.