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Patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome are receiving preventative treatment for blindness that has been sourced from newborn fetal membrane. Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) severely effects skin and mucous membranes as a direct result of medication or infection. In particular the eyes surface can become blistered and as the disease progress, the skin sheds akin to a burn. The most severe form of the disease affects more than 30 percent of the body surface and is medically termed as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).
Over half of diagnosed SJS/TEN patients get eye problems, so the research is breakthrough news.
Researchers are studying amniotic membrane transplantation. These are the parts of the membranes that protect the child while in the womb and are documented as having healing properties. When transplanted onto the eye, the amniotic membrane can assist in reducing inflammation and minimizing scarring.
The disease has two stages of progression, an earlier acute stage and a later chronic stage. Previous research found that the membrane transplant was effective in the latter stage. The new study (Loyola) is examining the effects of transplantation in the earlier acute stage. The researchers support the use of amniotic membrane transplants for maximum beneficial results. The earlier the entire ocular surface is treated the better.
It was reported that if the amniotic membrane was placed more than one week after the onset of the disease, the beneficial effects were greatly reduced.