A donated placenta has been used to make a specialist tissue graft and help save the eyesight of a Newcastle Hospitals patient.
Paul Laskey, 42, from Newcastle, was squirted in the face with a corrosive substance. He suffered severe chemical burns to his eye and was immediately rushed to hospital, with a significant loss of sight.
The burn caused limbal stem cell failure and severe neurotrophic keratopathy, meaning that the cells within Paul’s eye couldn’t properly repair or regenerate the surface of the cornea, and the nerves within the eye were failing to function properly.
As a result, both the inner and outer layers of the cornea broke down, or ‘melted’, causing extremely limited vision in the affected eye.
Across the course of eight months a number of procedures were called out at Newcastle Hospitals Eye Centre to save his sight. Mr Laskey had two emergency corneal transplants and three amnion grafts – tissue taken from the inner lining of a donated placenta, made into small patches.
The tissue is taken and made into the patches by scientists in NHS Blood and Transplant’s tissue and eye services and used to treat ocular injuries. The amnion grafts have served to stabilise the eye, avoid further melting, save the sight that Paul still has and prepare it for further treatment with the aim of restoring full vision.
Each donated placenta can be used to make around 50 to 100 amnion grafts, treating patients for eye injuries, burns, diseases and to help protect the eye in the weeks after a cornea transplant. Each patient will normally receive one graft.
Professor Francisco Figueiredo, consultant ophthalmologist at Newcastle Eye Centre, Royal Victoria Infirmary, treated Paul for his injuries.
“Chemical eye burns are a true emergency – they can cause significant sight loss that will substantially impact the quality of the patient’s life and rapid treatment is crucial.
“Amnion grafts have been essential in helping the management of Paul’s severe eye burn. They are thin, lightweight, elastic and almost transparent, making them ideal for use on the surface of the eye and help to heal eye surface tissue damage while also providing anti-inflammatory benefits.
It is safe to say that these grafts have helped to save the vision Paul still has – and allowed us to move towards further treatment to restore his lost sight.
“Amnion is widely used for a variety of ocular surface problems and it is incredible to think that this is possible due to the generosity of a mother, donating the organ that she has grown to help grow her child. It really is remarkable,” he said.
Paul, a plumber and heating engineer and father of three, said losing so much of his sight so suddenly was incredibly difficult.
“I immediately worried that I would lose it completely, which would have upended my life completely. I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to work, drive, play football with or go to the cinema with my kids, like I love to do.
“I’m so grateful that the amnion graft has helped to keep the sight that I do have and prepare my eye so that hopefully I can get my full range of vision back. I’m so thankful to the mother who chose to donate her placenta to help people like me who are at risk of losing their sight completely. It’s incredible to know that a new life can help so many people in such a profound way, using something that’s usually thrown away.”
Claire Price, National Retrieval Manager at NHS Blood and Transplant’s Tissue and Eye Services, said: “Amnion grafts are very special things indeed – they play a crucial role in the treatment to save the vision of those who have suffered accidents or injuries, as well as in some corneal transplants, which are life-changing for many.
“We’re pleased to hear that our amnion grafts have played such a crucial part in Paul’s journey so far and we thank all of the mothers who donate their placentas to make treatments like this possible.
“We wish him the best of luck.”
Fact box
- Amniotic membrane is a biological product, meaning it will ‘stick’ very closely to the surface of the eye
- It covers exposed nerve endings, reducing pain and the risk of infection and allowing the body to start the healing process.
- It is very rich in protein growth factors, which can stimulate the healing process. The amnion will naturally degrade after a few weeks.
- NHS Blood and Transplant collects donated placentas from mothers birthing at University College Hospital, London and Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Bedfordshire.
- Mothers can choose to donate if delivering via elective caesarean section. The donation process does not interfere with the delivery of the baby.
- Donated placentas are transferred to NHSBT’s Tissue and Eye Services, where it is processed, made into thin, translucent amnion grafts, frozen and stored for use.
Find more information at nhsbt.nhs.uk and visit nhsbt.nhs.uk for details on how to register for placenta donation.
