Preparation and uses of amniotic membrane for ocular surface reconstruction

BACKGROUND: The use of human amniotic membrane transplantation is rapidly increasing for the management of various ocular surface disorders. Despite its numerous advantages, amniotic membrane is not widely available due to the lack of awareness among ophthalmologists regarding its preparation and preservation techniques. PURPOSE: To provide an instructional video demonstrating the technique of harvesting, preparation, preservation of human amniotic membrane, and its uses in the management of ocular surface diseases. SYNOPSIS: The amniotic membrane is the innermost layer of the human placenta. Properties of the amniotic membrane, like the presence of various growth factors, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic factors, and its low immunogenicity, contribute to its ability to promote epithelial growth and differentiation with the reduction in fibrosis during healing. To harvest amniotic membrane, informed consent is obtained from a patient undergoing an elective caesarian section, and the donor is screened to exclude the risk of infections. Under sterile precautions, the amniotic membrane is separated from the chorion and washed free of blood clots. With the epithelial surface up, the amniotic membrane is spread uniformly without folds or tears on individually sterilized 0.22 μm nitrocellulose filter papers of the required sizes. The prepared filter paper with the adherent amniotic membrane is placed in freshly prepared Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium and stored at −80°C. The amniotic membrane can be used for surgical procedures like symblepharon release, pterygium or dermoid excision, perforated ulcers, nonhealing epithelial defects, etc. HIGHLIGHTS: Instructional videos demonstrating the preparation and preservation of amniotic membrane are very sparse. This video clearly explains how any ophthalmologist can learn to prepare and preserve the human amniotic membrane and gives a glimpse of its properties, advantages, and scope of use. VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/8HfSjXUKoiY