Efficacy of Amniotic Membrane Patching for Acute Chemical and Thermal Ocular Burns
Pinnita Prabhasawat MD*, Nattaporn Tesavibul MD*, Nauljira Prakairungthong MD**, Wipawee Booranapong MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University ** Department of Ophthalmology, Metapracharak Hospital
Objective : To study the efficacy of amniotic membrane patching (AMP) for acute chemical and thermal ocular
burns and compare the results with a control group.
Materials and Methods : Fifteen patients (21 eyes) with acute ocular burn severity grading of II to IV were
retrospectively reviewed. Thirteen eyes were treated with preserved AMP while eight eyes were treated with
conventional treatment. Outcomes and complications were evaluated and compared between eyes in the AMP
group and the control group with the same severity of burn.
Results : In the AMP group, the mean age was 36.9 + 11.7 years (range, 20-58). The mean follow-up time was
8.0 + 6.8 months (range, 1-20). Complete epithelialization was achieved in 69.2% (9/13 eyes) in total, 100%
(5/5 eyes), 100% (3/3 eyes) and 20% (1/5 eyes) in grade II, III and IV respectively. Mean epithelial healing
time in the AMP group was 10.4 + 5.8 days (range, 4-20). Comparison of grade 2 and 3 burns showed that the
AMP group in which patching was performed within 5 days resulted in faster epithelial healing, less corneal
haze and limbal deficiency than in the group in which patching was performed after 5 days, and the control
group (mean epithelial defect 7.0 + 2.0, 19.5 + 0.7, 9.9 + 10.8 days respectively).
Conclusion : Adjunctive treatment of ocular burns with AMP promoted rapid epithelial healing and reduced
corneal complication. Surgery performed in the early stage tended to yield a better outcome.
Keywords : Amniotic membranes, Amniotic membrane patching, Chemical burn, Thermal burn, Ocular burn
