Clinical outcomes of Simple limbal epithelial transplant (SLET) for limbal stem cell deficiency in Mexican population.

Abstract

Purpose :

To report the results of Simple limbal epithelial transplant (SLET) in patients with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) between 2020-2023 in the context of ocular surface diseases. We performed a retrospective interventional case series analysis assessing the outcomes of (SLET) for limbal stem cell deficiency in Mexican population.

Methods :

A retrospective,interventional case series was performed including all patients with LSCD who underwent SLET surgery with minimum 1 month follow up. Outcome measures included rates of recurrence,best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and post-operative complications.

Results :

24 eyes of 22 patients were included.Mean age was 39.79(7-83 years),12%(5 eyes)and 88%(19 eyes)were from females and males, respectively. Average follow up time was 15.52 months (0.52-60). Nine-teen eyes (79.2%) had chemical burns(62.5%,12.5% and 4.2% by alkali, acid, non-specific,respectively).Four eyes(16.6%) had history of pterygium excision and conjunctival autograft.Twenty-two eyes(91.7%)were autollogous transplantation and 2 (8.3%)were allogeneic.

Nine eyes(37.5%)had recurrence,mostly alkali burns (38.25%),acid burns (33.3%).The mean survival was 484 days(IC95% 102-867),with a median survival of 248(Q1-Q3 0-555)days.Alkali burn eyes had a mean survival of 550 (IC95% 124-976) days.There was no difference among survival median rates in groups by etiology,nor clinical variables associated to SLET failure/recurrence.

About complications,7(29.2% of total eyes)had failure of the SLET (conjunctivalization,epithelial defects,scarring,perforation);of those seven,6 (85.4%)eyes in the failure group had alkali burn (p=0.02).One(4.2%) eye had OSSN and other eye(4.2%)presented perforation.One(4.2%)eye required a Boston Keratoprosthesis.

Conclusions :

SLET has demonstrated its safety and effectiveness as a viable technique for managing(LSCD).The use of autografts ensures a more dependable and compatible source of tissue,thereby enhancing the overall efficacy of the transplantation procedure .This relatively straightforward and efficient technique has yielded positive outcomes across various etiologies of LSCD,as evidenced by our study results.

This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.