Autologous oral mucosal epithelial transplantation in the treatment of bilateral limbal stem cell deficiency

This review analyzes Russian and international literature on the treatment of bilateral limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), focusing on the use of Simple Oral Mucosal Epithelial Transplantation (SOMET) as a surgical method for restoring the ocular surface. Contemporary sources report 64 cases of SOMET used in the treatment of bilateral LSCD: 35 cases of chemical burns, 16 of thermal burns, 7 cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, 1 keratitis, 1 cicatricial pemphigoid, 1 dermoid, 1 case of drug-induced LSCD (mitomycin C), etc. Notably, all transplantations resulted in complete epithelialization, and in 3 cases, penetrating keratoplasty was subsequently performed with favorable functional and anatomical outcomes.