Korean J Ophthalmol.  2012 Oct;26(5):383-387. 10.3341/kjo.2012.26.5.383.

Excision with Corneoscleral Lamellar Keratoplasty and Amniotic Membrane Transplantation of a Corneal Displaced Recurrent Conjunctival Melanoma

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. nyeokang@hanmail.net

Abstract

An 81-year-old woman with a raised pigmented nodule over her left cornea for 7 months duration was examined. Dark conjunctival pigmentation was observed in the upper bulbar fornix conjunctiva. She had previously undergone primary surgical excision of a malignant conjunctival melanoma four years earlier. The tumor separated easily from the corneal surface, but remained slightly attached to the corneoscleral surface. A corneoscleral lamellar dissection of 3 mm in width and 2 mm in depth as well as a corneoscleral lamellar keratoplasty for the reconstruction of the corneoscleral defect were performed. The wide upper bulbar and fornix conjunctiva were excised, and an amniotic membrane transplantation was performed. Biopsy revealed an invasive melanoma with a depth of 1 mm. Left, right, and inferior tumor margins of the corneoscleral lesion and the pigmentary lesion in the conjunctiva were free of the tumor. After surgery, 0.04% mitomycin was administered topically 4 times daily for 4 weeks. There was no recurrence 2 years after surgery, and systemic evaluation revealed no metastasis.

Keyword

Amniotic membrane; Lamellar keratoplasty; Malignant melanoma

MeSH Terms

Aged, 80 and over
Amnion/*transplantation
Conjunctival Neoplasms/*surgery
*Corneal Transplantation
Female
Humans
Melanoma/*surgery
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
Recurrence

Figure

  • Fig. 1 (A) Pigmented lesion on the bulbar conjunctiva and cornea of the left eye. (B) Epithelioid melanoma cells infiltrations were observed by hematoxylin & eosin stain (×400). This patient had an epithelioid conjunctival melanoma with corneal displacement. The pictures were taken 4 years previously.

  • Fig. 2 Surgical excision of a corneal-displaced recurrent conjunctival melanoma, and reconstruction with corneoscleral lamellar keratoplasty and amniotic membrane transplantation. (A) Preoperative finding. (B) Corneoscleral lamellar dissection with a width of 3 mm and a depth of 2 mm was performed. (C) Donor corneoscleral lamellar tissue was prepared. (D) Corneoscleral lamellar keratoplasty was performed. (E) Pigmentary lesion of the wide upper bulbar and fornix conjunctival was excised. (F) Amniotic membrane transplantation was performed.

  • Fig. 3 (A) Preoperative corneal displaced recurrent conjunctival melanoma. (B) Postoperative ocular findings showing a well-removed pigmented mass and well-attached corneoscleral lamellar keratoplasty. (C) Epithelioid melanoma cells can be observed by hematoxylin & eosin stain (×400). (D) Positive staining for HMB 45 in melanoma cells (×200).


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