Abstract
Purpose: :
To compare the efficacy of BioGlue® (Purified bovine serum albumin and gluteraldehyde) to Dermabond® (2-Octyl Cynoacrylate) and nylon sutures in sealing corneal lacerations in vitro. To our knowledge, the use of BioGlue® for corneal laceration repair has not been studied.
Methods: :
An 11-blade scalpel was used to create linear 4 mm, full-thickness lacerations 2 mm anterior to the corneal limbus, in 36 fresh porcine eyes. The eyes were then randomized into three groups: 12 lacerations were repaired with interrupted 10-0 nylon sutures (2 mm bites, spaced 1 mm apart), 12 were sealed with a drop of BioGlue® , and 12 were sealed with a drop of Dermabond®. Fluorescein-stained balanced salt solution was injected into each eye with a 23-gauge syringe, while a Weck Cell® was placed along the wound edge. A Tonopen® reading of intraocular pressure (mm Hg) was obtained at the moment fluorescein stain appeared on the Weck Cell®. The pressures for each treatment group were averaged and compared using a two-tailed paired t-test.
Results: :
The mean intraocular pressure for leakage was 22.2 mm Hg (SD+/- 4.2) in eyes repaired with nylon sutures, 57.0 mm Hg (SD +/- 10.6) for those repaired with BioGlue®, and 64.6mm Hg (SD +/- 15.3) for those repaired with Dermabond®. The difference in intraocular pressure between the suture- and BioGlue®-treated eyes was statistically significant (p=0.006). However, it was not significant between the BioGlue®- and Dermabond®-treated eyes (p=0.495).
Conclusions: :
BioGlue® was superior to 10-0 nylon sutures in sealing corneal lacerations under greater intraocular pressures. Although Dermabond®-sealed wounds withstood a slightly higher intraocular pressure on average than BioGlue®-sealed wounds, the difference was not statistically significant. If otherwise safe for human use, BioGlue® may be considered as an alternative to nylon sutures in repairing corneal lacerations.
Keywords: cornea: clinical science • wound healing • trauma