A conjunctival graft is a surgical procedure in which a piece of healthy conjunctiva (the mucosal membrane that covers the white of the eye and lines the inner surface of the eyelid) is transplanted to a damaged or diseased area of the cornea. This procedure is typically performed in pets to treat conditions that affect the cornea, such as deep stromal ulcers, or full thickness perforations.
Other techniques include corneo-conjunctival transposition (CCT), when a portion of cornea from the same eye is used to repair the defect, corneal transplant from a donor, and use of exogenous grafting material such as sterilised porcine bladder, intestinal sub-mucosa or amniotic membrane.
Recovery from a conjunctival graft may involve medications to control infection and promote healing, as well as close monitoring by a veterinarian to ensure that the graft is successful.
The technique of choice will depend first of all on the size, depth and position of the corneal defect, but also on the health of the cornea, any underlying issues and the age of the patient, and ultimately on the surgeon’s preference.
Our first choice is normally a CCT as this offers a better chance of corneal clarity after surgery but when this is not possible conjunctival grafts or xenografts (grafts made with material coming from another animal, such as porcine bladder or amniotic membrane) are also a valid alternative.
Overall, conjunctival and corneal grafts represent a very effective way to repair a diseased, infected or injured cornea, even when this has fully perforated, and are essential in saving vision.
