This Podcase discusses a technique I introduced to ophthalmic oncology. Sometimes, when eye cancer specialists have to remove a large tumor from the surface of the eye, we created a large tissue-defect on its surface. The surgeon cannot leave it grow on its own because the eyelid can scar and stick to the eyeball (called symblepharon). This scarring can hamper the movement of the eye and doesn't look normal. So, decades ago, I used to borrow some mucus membrane tissue from the inside of the cheek (mouth). This was a second surgery that left the patient's mouth sore and swollen for a week or two. Thankfully, super-thick amniotic membranes became commercially available. These large thick pieces of donor amniotic membrane were easily sewn into place and helped the eye heal without symblepharon scarring. This PodCast describes my technique of Super-thick amniotic membrane grafting for ocular surface reconstruction.

Paul T. Finger, MD, FACS The New York Eye Cancer Center 115 East 61st Street New York City, New York, USA 10065

E-mail: [email protected]

Telephone: (011) 212 832 8170