Amniotic Membrane Transplantation

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi Kim,

If you do a search on Tseng you'll see posts here about him. I think there are one or two in the "Plug a Doc" forum. He's well known to several patients on the board, I believe. - The Ocular Surface Center is one of only two sources of the tissue for this surgery. I believe the surgery is also by at least two other surgeons in Florida, incl. Dr. Guliani (sp?) and Dr. ******.

I'd check out insurance coverage before anything else. Depending who does it it can be very expensive and not all insurers cover it.

Depending when you're going to be in Florida, maybe you could drop in during our special weekend event Feb 17-19 we'd love to see you.

[khasler]

I would love to come to the event, but I was extending my stay too long as it was so I could get an appt with Dr. Tseng. Maybe the next one can be held in Chicago and we can all camp outside of Oprah's studio to plead for a focus on this condition that plagues all of us every minute of every day.
It's so nice to have a place to go to where people really understand what you are going through...

Anyway, this consultation is going to cost $400 (supposedly insurance will cover this) so I want to make good use of my time with him. Any ideas for the kind of questions I should be prepared with? I'm trying to make a list of the things I should ask about this procedure and the benefits/risks of going through with it. I'm hoping Adam can give me some more insight to his experience.

[Joey]

To khasler

How did you appointment go with Dr. Tseng? If you have any questions about the surgery or conjuctivochalasis, I may be albe to help. I haven't had the surgery yet, but I am hopefully going to get it soon.

[Rebecca Petris]

Joey, just curious: Are you only considering surgery or have you looked into the nonsurgical application? The name escapes me at the moment but it's done with a contact lens-like prosthetic sort of device if I remember right. Seems less invasive and certainly less costly.

[lestacio18]

Hi everyone!

I'm new to the thread and came across it and found it to be very interesting. Especially after reading some of the posts and am hopeful that I'll be able to help.

I'm 18 and suffer from Stevens Johnson Syndrome, I got SJS when I was 14 in august of 2002. I just recently(last week) went to Miami,FL to see Dr. Scheffer Tseng. He is my miracle. I had the amniotic membrane transplant as well as a few other procedures done on my left eye. I had severe scarring in my left eye which attatched from my eye to my eye lid. Dr. Tseng removed all that, and also deepened my fornix. That's the area in your eyelid where if you pull up the eyelid you can see back into the area. Sorry, that wasnt a great explanation! But yes, I had the surgery and everything, according to Dr. Tseng went wonderful, even better than expected. My eye is still somewhat sore at the moment, and having to heal, but after it does I am sure I will be very pleased. I ahve 2 stictches in my left eye that i have to get removed by a local doctor tomorrow. I also had an abrasion on my left eye that just randomly developed from my existing scar tissue. I have to go back in one month for a check up. I highly reccomend Dr. Tseng to anyone, he took excellent care of me and did a great job. I believe the Amniotic membrane Trnsplnt. also keeps the eye from scarring back together, which was always my problem. I 'm hoping to return to him in the summer and maybe open up my tears in my right eye, because right now i have Dry eye synd. in my right eye, and he believes that since when i cry out of my left eye, and my right one gets swollen that the gland is still working! I was so excited when he told me that I could possibly have my tears back one day. WOW! No more eyedrops a million times a day!!! lol.

I was also wondering, does anyone else have eye problems because of Stevens Johnson Syndrome? I know Dr. tseng specializes with SJS patients. I believe he's worked with over 75 of them.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE![/COLOR]

I will check back regularly, and feel free to email me with any comments or questions,

thanks!

Lindsay

[Joey]

Lindsay,

I ws just wondering how much the surgery cost you for the one eye. I have been to see Dr. Tseng, too. And I agree with you, he is a gret doctor.


Rebecca,

I have tried a Scaleral lens. Is that what you are thinking of? If so, unfortunately it didn't help.

Thanks all!

-Joey

[Rebecca Petris]

Rebecca,

I have tried a Scaleral lens. Is that what you are thinking of?

No, I am not talking about scleral lenses. I was referring to nonsurgical application of amniotic membrane with a device called (if I remember right) Pro-Kera.

[lestacio18]

Hi all

Joey, the surgery unfortunately cost arpprox. $8,000. I know, very expensive, but I also had multiple procedures done at one surgery. I had 4 done total and the amniotic membrane was just one of them, I'd imagine it'd be around the same cost though. Unfortunately it's not covered by insurance,but thankfully there have been many people doing fundraisers and things of those sorts to help with the paytment. My grandmother's church recently provided me with a check for 3,000 dollars . I'm sure that if the surgery is the last option for you , and you cant pay the price on your won, something will work out for you and things will come together

Good luck!!


Lindsay

[Rebecca Petris]

No, I am not talking about scleral lenses. I was referring to nonsurgical application of amniotic membrane with a device called (if I remember right) Pro-Kera.

Sorry, I should have posted a link for further info. Here it is:

http://www.biotissue.com/product_prokera.htm

[sazy123]

Hi how would you know if you had Conjunctivochalasis? are the signs quite visable if you looked closely? would it be spotted by most eye doctors- or not? is it quite rare, or do alot of people who have dry eye have it?

thanks

[kakinda]

No, I am not talking about scleral lenses. I was referring to nonsurgical application of amniotic membrane with a device called (if I remember right) Pro-Kera.

Prokera indeed... developed by Dr Tseng and Bio Tissue.
I'll try to post a brochure on it later on but I saw another similar device using AMT post in some other thread on this site.

take care
Kakinda

[Rebecca Petris]

Prokera indeed... developed by Dr Tseng and Bio Tissue.
I'll try to post a brochure on it later on but I saw another similar device using AMT post in some other thread on this site.

take care
Kakinda

Maybe the abstract in February AJO?

[kakinda]

Hi Rebecca... that must be it.

this new method using a a "removable AMT-filled contact lens", is quite interesting because it's certainly less invasive and permits a frequent control of the evolution of the ulcer underneath.

One should bear in mind that AMT is not transparent therefore one will lose some sight until the cornea absorbes it... hoping that in the end, when the device is removed, the scar won't trouble too much one's vision.

Hopefully, someday, they'll be able to extract the growth factors and nutriments from the AM tissue and give it to us in drops .... which seems to me like a more convenient procedure.

The good thing about dry eye treatments is that these can only get better!
take care,
kakinda

[np1981]

Update?

Is Adam still updating us on this procedure? I'd be interested to know how things turned out.

[SusieD]

Oh I see you did find it!

He hasnt been on here for a while - I assume he's doing well. He seemed really pleased with the outcome anyway.