Conjunctival calcinosis circumscripta in a dog: Treatment combining surgical resection and amniotic membrane grafting

• Published in: Veterinary ophthalmology Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 203 - 208
• Main Authors: Robin, Marie‐Claire, Raffestin, Sebastien, Etienne, Claire Lyse, Raymond Letron, Isabelle, Regnier, Alain, Douet, Jean Yves
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley-Blackwell 01.03.2021
• Subjects: amniotic membrane transplantation; blood; calcification; calcinosis; calcium; conjunctiva; conjunctival calcification; conjunctival reconstruction; conjunctivectomy; conjunctivitis; cryopreservation; dogs; excision; females; histopathology; Life Sciences; mineralization; nictitating membrane; ophthalmology; resection; urinalysis; nictitating membrane; conjunctivectomy; conjunctival reconstruction; conjunctivitis; conjunctival calcification; amniotic membrane transplantation
• ISSN: 1463-5216; 1463-5224; 1463-5224
• DOI: 10.1111/vop.12864

This report describes the clinical features, histopathology, and surgical treatment of a case of conjunctival calcification in a 5‐month‐old female English Setter, referred with a history of recurrent conjunctivitis in the right eye (OD). The ophthalmic findings were limited to multifocal white plaques embedded in a markedly inflamed conjunctiva of the eyelids and the anterior nictitating membrane OD. Calcification was suspected. The blood cell count, blood chemical profile, and urinalysis were within normal limits, and long‐bone radiographs appeared normal. After removal of the affected area by means of a large conjunctivectomy, cryopreserved canine amniotic membrane (AM) was transplanted to fill in the defect. Multifocal ectopic calcium deposits in the conjunctival lamina propria were confirmed histopathologically. The postoperative healing was uneventful, and no recurrence was observed during a follow‐up period of five years. Conjunctival mineralization is uncommon in canine ophthalmology, and the cause remained undetermined in the present case, for which AM transplantation was able to promote conjunctival healing after a large surgical excision.