• O Ozdemir, O Tekeli, K Ornek, A Arslanpençe, and N F Yalçindağ.
• Department of Ophthalmology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Turkey.
• Eye (Lond). 2004 Mar 1; 18 (3): 241-8.

AimTo investigate and compare the surgical outcomes of limbal autograft and limbal allograft transplantations in patients with corneal burns.MethodsIn total, 20 patients (n=22 eyes) with chemical burn and two patients (n=2 eyes) with thermal burn were included in this study. Limbal autograft or limbal allograft transplantation surgery was performed in all patients. HLA-typing was tested before allograft surgeries. Limbal allografting was performed in all eyes using donor tissue from live relatives. Systemic cyclosporine A was administered for immunosuppression.ResultsThe corneal surface was successfully reconstructed in all eyes (100%) after limbal autografting, two eyes required additional amniotic membrane transplantation and one eye required allografting. The mean follow-up period for limbal autografts was 13.9 +/- 7.0 months. Limbal allografting failed to reduce corneal vascularity and opacification in five (55.6%) eyes and was successful only in four (44.4%) eyes (mean follow-up 16.2 +/- 11.2 months) (P=0.002). In all, 15 eyes undergoing limbal autografting completed re-epithelialization of the cornea at a mean of 35.6 +/- 60.2 days. The mean epithelial healing time in nine eyes undergoing limbal allografting was 13.0 +/- 7.3 days (P=0.525). After limbal autografting, functional vision (> or =1/10) was attained in 12 (80%) eyes. Only one eye (11.1%) achieved functional vision after limbal allografting (P=0.036). Penetrating keratoplasty was performed in three patients following limbal allografting. No cyclosporine-associated side effects were observed.ConclusionsLimbal autograft transplantation is an effective and safe procedure for unilateral corneal burns. It seems that limbal allograft transplantation is better combined with penetrating keratoplasty for a better visual outcome and higher graft survival rate. Systemic immunosuppression seems to be necessary for limbal allografts even in the presence of HLA-matched donor tissues.

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