Purpose: To establish an animal model of autologous oral mucosa grafting for limbal stem cell deficiency.

Methods: The study was carried from August to october 2012. Fourteen SD rats were randomly and evenly allocated to study group A and control group B. Limbal stem cell deficiency was established by alkali burn in the right eye of each rat in both groups. Rats in group A received autologous oral mucosa strip transplantation following the chemical burn. Rats in group B did not receive surgery after the chemical burn. Topical antibiotics and dexamethasone were used in all rats. Corneal clarity, corneal fluorescein staining, oral mucosal graft survival, and complications at postoperative days 1, 3, 7, 14 were observed.

Results: The oral mucosa strip graft was detached in one rat in group A. Reepithelialization was observed starting from the graft position and was completed within 14 days in the remaining 6 eyes in group A. However, persistent corneal epithelium defect was observed in all eyes in group B,  among which corneal melting and perforation was observed in 2 eyes and corneal opacification with neovascularization was observed in the remaining 5 eyes.

Conclusion: Autologous oral mucosa strip grafting for limbal stem cell deficiency can be achieved by a rat model following chemical burn. The fate of the transplanted oral mucosal epithelial cells warrants further study. 

Purpose: To establish an animal model of autologous oral mucosa grafting for limbal stem cell deficiency.

Methods: The study was carried from August to october 2012. Fourteen SD rats were randomly and evenly allocated to study group A and control group B. Limbal stem cell deficiency was established by alkali burn in the right eye of each rat in both groups. Rats in group A received autologous oral mucosa strip transplantation following the chemical burn. Rats in group B did not receive surgery after the chemical burn. Topical antibiotics and dexamethasone were used in all rats. Corneal clarity, corneal fluorescein staining, oral mucosal graft survival, and complications at postoperative days 1, 3, 7, 14 were observed.

Results: The oral mucosa strip graft was detached in one rat in group A. Reepithelialization was observed starting from the graft position and was completed within 14 days in the remaining 6 eyes in group A. However, persistent corneal epithelium defect was observed in all eyes in group B,  among which corneal melting and perforation was observed in 2 eyes and corneal opacification with neovascularization was observed in the remaining 5 eyes.

Conclusion: Autologous oral mucosa strip grafting for limbal stem cell deficiency can be achieved by a rat model following chemical burn. The fate of the transplanted oral mucosal epithelial cells warrants further study. 

Background: To investigate the 1-time success rate of probing alone and nasolacrimal duct probing combined with nasolacrimal injection of levofloxacin ophthalmic gel on congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) in young children.

Methods: A retrospective case series was performed on 494 cases (647 eyes) of 3–12 month-old children with CNLDO between July 2014 and July 2015. Material obtained from the lacrimal sac was cultured to isolate infectious agents. Susceptibility testing was done. Children from 3–12 months of age who were found to be sensitive to Levofloxacin (n=493 eyes) were separated into two groups: 3–6 months of age (276 eyes) and 7–12 months of age (217 eyes). Each of the groups were then randomized into group A (138 eyes of 3–6 months of age; 102 eyes of 7–12 months of age) and group B (138 eyes of 3–6 months of age; 115 eyes of 7–12 months of age). Children in group A underwent nasolacrimal duct probing alone; those in group B underwent nasolacrimal duct probing plus nasolacrimal duct injection of levofloxacin and the efficacy of probing was evaluated.

Results: The average detection rate of pathogenic bacteria in dacryocystitis was 75.1%, and Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the main pathogenic bacteria (42.59%, 106 cases). Among children from 7–12 months of age, the 1-time success rate of nasolacrimal duct probing alone was 88.24% and the 1-time success rate of probing combined with nasolacrimal duct injection of levofloxacin ophthalmic gel was 96.52% (statistical significance, P=0.02<0.05).

Conclusions: Most pathogenic bacteria (96.81%) were sensitive to levofloxacin. Nasolacrimal duct probing combined with nasolacrimal duct injection of levofloxacin may improve the success rate of probing in children older than 6 months of age.

Background: To investigate the 1-time success rate of probing alone and nasolacrimal duct probing combined with nasolacrimal injection of levofloxacin ophthalmic gel on congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) in young children.

Methods: A retrospective case series was performed on 494 cases (647 eyes) of 3–12 month-old children with CNLDO between July 2014 and July 2015. Material obtained from the lacrimal sac was cultured to isolate infectious agents. Susceptibility testing was done. Children from 3–12 months of age who were found to be sensitive to Levofloxacin (n=493 eyes) were separated into two groups: 3–6 months of age (276 eyes) and 7–12 months of age (217 eyes). Each of the groups were then randomized into group A (138 eyes of 3–6 months of age; 102 eyes of 7–12 months of age) and group B (138 eyes of 3–6 months of age; 115 eyes of 7–12 months of age). Children in group A underwent nasolacrimal duct probing alone; those in group B underwent nasolacrimal duct probing plus nasolacrimal duct injection of levofloxacin and the efficacy of probing was evaluated.

Results: The average detection rate of pathogenic bacteria in dacryocystitis was 75.1%, and Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the main pathogenic bacteria (42.59%, 106 cases). Among children from 7–12 months of age, the 1-time success rate of nasolacrimal duct probing alone was 88.24% and the 1-time success rate of probing combined with nasolacrimal duct injection of levofloxacin ophthalmic gel was 96.52% (statistical significance, P=0.02<0.05).

Conclusions: Most pathogenic bacteria (96.81%) were sensitive to levofloxacin. Nasolacrimal duct probing combined with nasolacrimal duct injection of levofloxacin may improve the success rate of probing in children older than 6 months of age.