Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the effect of exposure of donor corneal endothelium sulfur hexafluoride bubble as part of donor tissue placement in the DSAEK procedure.
Methods: :
Three pairs of banked donor corneas were manipulated to simulate steps of the DSAEK procedure, including mounting on an artificial anterior chamber and anterior lamellar cap sectioning. Then the corneal endothelium of the right eye of each pair was subjected to a bubble of 40% sulfur hexafluoride / 60% air for 10 minutes while mounted on the artificial chamber. The corneas from each left eye were not exposed to a gas bubble. All corneas were stained sequentially with 0.2% trypan blue and 0.25% alizarin red. Using photomicrographs of the endothelium, vital and devitalized endothelial cells were counted.
Results: :
The mean percentage of viable endothelial cells in the group exposed to SF6 was 88% (SD=11.2). The corneas not exposed to SF6 displayed a mean of 94% viable endothelial cells (SD=5.3). In this small group of donor corneas, there was no statistical difference in the percentage of endothelial cell viability between the control group and the group exposed to SF6 for 10 minutes (Two-tailed P-value of 0.269).
Conclusions: :
Comparison of donor corneal endothelium exposed to SF6 for 10 minutes with endothelial tissue not exposed to a gas bubble showed no statistically significant difference in endothelial cell viability. This pilot study supports further testing of SF6 as a tool for placing the endothelial graft in DSAEK surgery
Keywords: cornea: endothelium