Chemical injury treated with autologous limbal epithelial stem cell transplantation and subconjunctival bevacizumab

Limbal stem cell (LSC) deficiency leads to corneal opacity due to a conjunctivalization of the corneal surface. LSC transplantation, which can be followed by corneal keratoplasty, is an effective procedure to restore corneal transparency; however, a common cause of failure of this procedure is neova...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) N.Z.), 2014-01, Vol.8, p.1671-1673
Main Authors: Cavallini, Gian Maria, Pellegrini, Graziella, Volante, Veronica, Ducange, Pietro, De Maria, Michele, Torlai, Giulio, Benatti, Caterina, Forlini, Matteo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
bevacizumab
Biocompatibility
Case Report
Cornea
Diabetic retinopathy
Edema
Eye
Failure
Immunotherapy
Inflammation
Injuries
limbal stem cell deficiency
Monoclonal antibodies
Ophthalmology
Patients
Restoration
Stem cells
Transplantation
Vascular endothelial growth factor
Visual acuity
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Summary:Limbal stem cell (LSC) deficiency leads to corneal opacity due to a conjunctivalization of the corneal surface. LSC transplantation, which can be followed by corneal keratoplasty, is an effective procedure to restore corneal transparency; however, a common cause of failure of this procedure is neovascularization (NV). A 59-year-old man with a 21-year history of a corneal chemical burn caused by phosphoric acid in his left eye was examined. He presented with unilateral total LSC deficiency with severe conjunctivalization and a corrected distance visual acuity that was limited to hand motion. We reported the short-term in vivo efficacy of subconjunctival bevacizumab for progressive corneal NV in a patient with LSC deficiency that underwent LSC transplantation. Four months after autologous LSC transplantation and 1 month after the second subconjunctival bevacizumab injection, the patient's corrected distance visual acuity was 1/10. Subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab can reduce the corneal NV, reducing conjunctival inflammation and supporting restoration of a stable ocular surface that is able to counteract graft failure, with no toxicity for the transplanted LSC.
ISSN:1177-5467
1177-5483
1177-5483
DOI:10.2147/OPTH.S65298