Detection of Corneal Epithelial Defect Through Amniotic Membrane Patch by Fluorescein

• Published in: Cornea Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 359 - 360
• Main Authors: Kobayashi, Akira, Ijiri, Shigeyuki, Sugiyama, Kazuhisa, Di Pascuale, Mario A, Tseng, Scheffer C. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 01-04-2005
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Aged; Amnion - transplantation; Burns, Chemical - surgery; Contrast Media; Corneal Diseases - diagnosis; Corneal Transplantation - methods; Epithelium, Corneal - injuries; Epithelium, Corneal - pathology; Eye Burns - chemically induced; Female; Fluorescein; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Reproducibility of Results; Transplantation, Homologous; Wound Healing
• ISSN: 0277-3740; 1536-4798
• DOI: 10.1097/01.ico.0000138855.72073.b6

PURPOSE:To demonstrate the usefulness of fluorescein dye to detect a corneal epithelial defect through an amniotic membrane patch in 4 cases.
PATIENTS AND METHOD:Two patients with painful bullous keratopathy, 1 patient with total limbal deficiency, and 1 patient with acute chemical burn underwent surgeries in conjunction with amniotic membrane as patch. Postoperatively, slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination with and without fluorescein staining was performed.
RESULTS:The status of epithelialization, ie, corneal epithelial defect on either denuded corneal stroma or amniotic membrane graft, was indiscernible by slit-lamp biomicroscopy through the amniotic membrane patch. Nevertheless, it could be detected by fluorescein staining, especially after saline rinse, in all 4 cases.
CONCLUSIONS:Fluorescein staining permits clinicians to avoid prematurely removing the amniotic membrane patch during the treatment of a persistent corneal epithelial defect.