Abstract
Purpose :
To demonstrate the safeness and security of the injection in the corneal stroma of mesenchymal stem cells as an option for the treatment of corneal opacities.
Methods :
Two eyes scheduled for lamellar corneal transplant due to very severe stromal opacity, received intrastromal injection 0.5 ml of mesenchymal stem cells enriched with 10% autologus serum and 5% extracellular vesicles 7 months before Deep lamellar keratoplasty ,performed without complications. Corneas were sent to Pathology analysis
Results :
UCVA and BCVA decreased the first two months after the injection and returned to the same levels without loss of lines of vision after the third month and preserve the same visual acuity and the clinical aspect of the opacity until the corneal transplant was performed. The specimens were studied by an ocular pathologist and the analysis and results will be presented. No particular inflammation or scarring coming from the injection was found.
Conclusions :
We have demonstrated that the injection of mesenchymal stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord (Wharton gel) injected into the corneal stroma do not produce histological changes that increase the already damaged cornea. Therefore, its use is safe when indicated as has been suggested in previous papers as the one from Miguel MP, Alio JL et al, published in 2010 in the Curr Stem Cell Res Ther.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.