A 14-Year Retrospective Clinical Analysis Of Amniotic Membrane Transplantation In A Tertiary Center
Published 2026 - 44th Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: POCOR447 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/a7fb-2y39
Authors: Dr Alexandra Campos Da Silva* 1 , Dr Ana Gama-Castro 2 , Dr Rodrigo Vilares-Morgado 3 , A/Prof. Tiago Monteiro 2 , A/Prof. João Pinheiro-Costa 4 , Dr Pedro Neves-Cardoso 3 , Dr Luís Torrão 3 , Dr Ana Maria Cunha 3
1Ophthalmology Department,ULS São João,Porto,Portugal;Biomedicine Department,Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto,Porto,Portugal, 2Ophthalmology Department,ULS São João,Porto,Portugal, 3Ophthalmology Department,ULS São João,Porto,Portugal;Department of Surgery and Physiology,Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto,Porto,Portugal, 4Ophthalmology Department,Instituto CUF,Porto,Portugal;Biomedicine Department,Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto,Porto,Portugal
Purpose
To describe the indications for amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and assess its clinical effectiveness in the management of ocular surface diseases.
Setting
Retrospective, observational, longitudinal study, conducted in a tertiary referral center (Ophthalmology Department of Hospital de São João, Portugal).
Methods
A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent AMT between August 2011 and December 2025. Electronic medical records were analyzed to collect demographic data, clinical indications, visual outcomes, and the need for additional surgical interventions.
Results
133 eyes from 128 patients were included; 62.5% were male. Mean age at the time of AMT was 59.51 ± 20.36 years. The main indications included neurotrophic ulcer (34.6%), ocular perforation (27.8%), descemetocele (9.8%), and ocular surface burns (9.0%). In chronic non-healing neurotrophic ulcers, AMT promoted complete re-epithelialization after a single procedure in 29 of 46 eyes (63.0%). Among eyes treated for corneal perforation, 25 of 37 (67.6%) didn't require further surgery, avoiding corneal transplantation or evisceration. Additional procedures were required in 30.1% (40 eyes), including repeat AMT in 18.8% (n=25), corneal transplantation in 9.0% (n=12), and evisceration in 2.3% (n=3).
Conclusions
Even in the setting of severe and chronic ocular surface disease, AMT resulted in meaningful clinical improvement in most cases, promoting ocular surface stabilization and epithelial healing while frequently avoiding corneal transplantation or evisceration despite the intrinsic complexity of the treated conditions.