Cornea and amniotic membrane transplantation in ophtalmological clinic No.2 during the SARS COV-19 pandemic

Abstract

The actuality of the subject. With the advent of new tissue preservation methods, cornea and amniotic membrane transplantation have become more accessible and more often used. The purpose of the study. This study aims to analyze the surgical activity of cornea and amniotic membrane transplantation during the period of 2019-2022 within IMSP SCM Sfînta Treime, in order to identify how their use has evolved depending on their need and accessibility. Methods. The source of the researched material is represented by the medical files of the patients who needed corneal transplantation (60 patients) or amniotic membrane transplantation (297 patients). 483 of them had corneal inflammatory processes, and 60 patients – corneal leukoma. Year Corneal Amniotic membrane transplants transplants 2019 32 (42,10 %) 44 (57,89%) 2020 12 (12,5%) 84 (87,5%) 2021 8 (8,33%) 88 (91,66%) 2022 8 (9,09%) 81 (91,01%) Results and discussion.As a result of this study, an obvious increase in hospitalized patients with corneal ulcer as a post-covid complication during the years 2020-2021 was found.Thus, we have seen an increase in membrane transplants and a decrease in corneal transplants caused by stopping the collection of biological material (cornea). And the increase in the number of inflammatory pathologies of the cornea caused by SARS-CoV-19 conditioned the decrease in corneal transplants for patients on the waiting lists.