Peritoneal graft in extremely retracted conjunctival sac.

VARIOUS mucosal and skin materials have been used in plastic operations on the conjunctiva, and the mucosa of the mouth and lips have been found most suitable. Apart from these materials, the Thiersch graft, part of the peritoneal membrane, the rectum, the preputium, and the labia minora have also been used for small conjunctival defects. Sorsby and Symons (1946) found amniotic membrane suitable in the reconstruction of large defects. Allen (1953) used autografts from the abdominal peritoneum. Malhotra (1957) recommended peritoneum, taken from inguinal hernias, as a routine procedure in entropion surgery. Erbakan (1958) successfully used a peritoneal graft taken from an inguinal hernia, in the case of a large naevus showing signs of malignancy, which was situated in the lower fornix and partly involved the bulbar conjunctiva. In the following three cases a peritoneal graft was used to enlarge the retracted conjunctival sac into which a prosthesis could not be inserted.