Vergleich von Eigenserum und Hyaluronsäure zur Behandlung kornealer Erosiones nach Vitrektomie bei Diabetikern

Ophthalmic use of blood-derived products

There is a wide spectrum of blood-derived products that have been used in many different medical and surgical specialties with success. Blood-derived products for clinical use can be extracted from autologous or allogeneic specimens of blood, but recombinant products are also commonly used. A number of blood derivatives have been used for a wide range of ocular conditions, from the ocular surface to the retina. With stringent preparation guidelines, the potential risk of transmission of blood-borne diseases is minimized. We review blood-derived products and how they are improving the management of ocular disease.

[On the use of autologous serum eyedrops in Germany : results of a survey among members of the Cornea Section of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG)]

PURPOSE

The use of serum eye drops has become more common for treating ocular surface diseases such as persistent epithelial defect and dry eye. For the production and use of blood products, regulatory restrictions apply. We surveyed the practice of production and application of serum eyedrops among the members of the Cornea Section of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) in Germany.

METHODS

A questionnaire concerning the application of topical blood-derived therapeutic agents for use in the eye was sent to 103 institutions in 2005 and 2007. The questionnaire included 14 groups of questions.

RESULTS

The rate of response was 49% in 2005 and 55% in 2007. Sixty-five percent (2005: 48%) of the institutions used blood-derived products as therapeutic agents in the eye (in 96%, serum eye drops). In 2007, 17% of the centers stated that they had a license to produce serum eye drops according to the official regulations (2005: 10%). Three hospitals stopped using serum eyedrops for regulatory reasons. In 2007 1,237 patients were treated (2005: 1,389); 36% of the ophthalmic departments produced the serum eye drops themselves (2005: 55%) and 43% produced them in cooperation together with or exclusively in another institution. Quality controls (e.g., virus serology and sterility checks) were performed in 47% (2005: 24%). In 2005, one corneal fibrin deposit was described. In 2007, no complication was reported.

CONCLUSION

Although fewer patients were treated in total in 2007, the number of centers using serum eye drops increased between 2005 and 2007. Serious complications were not described. Some hospitals stopped the production and use of serum eye drops because of regulatory reasons or had the drops produced by nonophthalmic institutions with a license to produce blood-derived products. In view of prospective randomized clinical trials showing that autologous serum support ocular surface wound healing, this therapy should be accepted as a standard of care.

Rezidivierende Erosio corneae

Recurrent corneal erosions in both traumatic and basal membrane dystrophy-associated conditions seem to show a similar pathogenesis for abnormal adhesion between corneal epithelium and stroma. The purpose of each conservative or surgical treatment is fast healing without any infections or recurrences. This paper compares the different excimer laser treatment options with emphasis on the so-called aggressive PTK. A total of 50 eyes of 50 patients with recurrent corneal erosions after mechanical trauma or with epithelial basement membrane dystrophy were treated with aggressive PTK after the second or third recurrence. Aggressive PTK was performed with an ablation of 10-15 microm. After the mean follow-up time of 41.8 months, a recurrence rate of 6% without a change of visual acuity and a hyperopic shift of +0.74 D were observed. The earliest recurrent erosion showed up after 33 and the latest after 65 months. In comparison to other forms of PTK such as transepithelial or conventional subepithelial PTK, aggressive PTK showed the lowest recurrence rate reported for a long-term follow-up.