Transplantation of cultivated oral mucosal epithelial cells for severe corneal burn.

PURPOSE: To access the feasibility of using cultivated oral mucosal epithelial cell transplantation (COMET) for the management of severe corneal burn.

METHODS: COMET was performed to promote re-epithelialization in two eyes with acute alkaline burn and one eye with chronic alkaline burn, and to reconstruct the ocular surface in two eyes with chronic thermal burn. Autologous oral mucosal epithelial cells obtained from biopsy were cultivated on amniotic membrane. Immunoconfocal microscopy for keratins and progenitor cell markers was performed to characterize the cultivated epithelial sheet. Following transplantation, the clinical outcome and possible complications were documented. The patients were followed for an averaged 29.6+/-3.6 (range: 26-34) months.

RESULTS: Cultivated oral mucosal epithelial sheet expressed keratin 3, 13, and progenitor cell markers p63, p75, and ABCG2. After COMET, all the corneas became less inflamed, and the corneal surface was completely re-epithelialized in 6.0+/-3.2 (range: 3-10) days in all but one patients. Microperforation occurred in one patient, and a small persistent epithelial defect developed in another. Both were solved uneventfully. In all patients, superficial corneal blood vessels invariably developed, and to further improve vision, conjunctivo-limbal autografting (N=3) and/or penetrating keratoplasty (N=3) were performed subsequently. The vision of all patients showed substantial improvement after additional surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the potential of COMET to promote re-epithelialization and reduce inflammation in acute corneal burn, and to reconstruct the corneal surface in chronic burn. COMET may, therefore, be considered an alternative treatment for severe corneal burn.