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Ocular Amniotic Membrane Success Stories by Dr. Stephanie Woo

Author: Russell Health, Inc.

Dr. Stephanie Woo, O.D. is the only cornea/contact lens residency-trained doctor of optometry for 200 miles in her hometown of Lake Havasu City, AZ. A patient presented to her office with an elevated lesion on her cornea. The patient did not respond to antibiotics, antivirals, or steroids. Unable to travel to another specialist, Dr. Woo decided to apply an amniotic membrane.

Within 48 hours, the defect had completely flattened, and the corneal haze and opacification had diminished by almost 80%. Amniotic membranes offer patients a natural, sutureless treatment option with anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, anti-microbial and anti-fibrotic properties.

“The amniotic membrane is the innermost, avascular layer of fetal membranes- composed of the epithelium, basement membrane and stroma-collected from full-term placental tissue and treated with antibiotics during collection. Those layers contain properties that each play an important role in healing. While the basement layer’s collagen makeup closely resembles that of the cornea and conjunctiva, thereby promoting cellular growth, the stroma contains the all-important fetal hyaluronic acid and cytokines necessary to reduce inflammation.”

Another Dr. Woo success story involves a patient with 60% of her cornea burned. Dr. Woo treated the patient with antibiotics and an amniotic membrane. 24h later, the epithelial defect had healed by nearly 80%, and by 72 hours, it as completely re-epithelialized.

Russell Health’s Human Tissue Therapy Ocular product called Xcellerate™ is an acellular dehydrated amniotic membrane being used to treat dry eye disease, epithelial defects, burn injuries, ocular infections and inflammation.

More information can be found on the American Academy of Ophthalmology Xcellerate Fact Sheet: https://www.aao.org/practice-management/news-detail/fact-sheet-coding-xcellerate