Retinal pigment epithelial cell tranplantation after ubfoveal membranectomy in age-related macular degeneration: Clinicopathologic correlation

PURPOE: To report the hitopathology after retinal pigment epithelial cell tranplantation and ubfoveal membranectomy in age-related macular degeneration. METHOD: An 85-year-old white woman with bilateral choroidal neovacularization underwent ubfoveal membranectomy combined with tranplantation of a heet of human adult retinal pigment epithelium (retinal pigment epithelium) under the foveal center in the right eye. The patient wa immunouppreed potoperatively with prednione, cycloporine, and azathioprine. The patient died from congetive heart failure 114 day after urgery. REULT: A patch of hyperpigmentation wa viible at the tranplant ite under the foveola after urgery. Mound-like cluter of individual round, large denely pigmented cell were preent in the ubretinal pace and outer retina in thi area. There wa lo of the photoreceptor outer egment and native retinal pigment epithelium in the center of the tranplant bed, with diruption of the outer nuclear layer predominantly over region of multilayered pigmented cell. Cytic pace were preent in the inner and outer retina. A reidual intra-Bruch membrane component of the original choroidal neovacular complex wa preent under the tranplant ite. CONCLUION: The tranplant ite contained cluter of round, pigmented cell that did not form a uniform monolayer in mot area. The morphology at the tranplant ite i conitent with the lack of viual improvement een after urgery in thi patient.