Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate the independent effect of a segmental scleral buckle on fibrous proliferation from a wound site after posterior penetrating eye injury when vitrectomy or cryocoagulation was not performed as the primary surgical procedure. Methods: One eye each of 12 New Zealand white rabbits was used according the ARVO resolution. The penetrating injury consisted of two 5-mm-long incisions placed 5 clock hours apart from each other, and 8 mm posterior and parallel to the corneoscleral limbus. The prolapsed vitreous was excised with scissors and both wounds were carefully closed with microsurgical techniques. A 3-mm wide and 6-mm long round silicone sponge was then sutured over one of the wounds; the other wound served as a control. The rabbits were followed with slit-lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, and fundus photography. After enucleation and initial fixation procedures, tissue sectioning was performed and posterior eye cups were examined under the operating microscope to evaluate the fibrous proliferation from the wound. The greatest dimension of the fibrous proliferation at both wound sites was measured with a caliper under the operating microscope. Results: One eye was excluded from the study due to iatrogenic complications. The remaining 11 eyes showed varying degrees of proliferation and traction on the retina. The vitreous hemorrhage observed in all eyes during the surgery had begun to resolve at 2 weeks. The average value of the greatest dimension of the fibrous proliferation at the buckle site was 0.95±1.03 mm; at the other (non-buckle) site it was 1.74±1.37 mm. The fibrous proliferation at the buckle site was significantly less than that of the non-buckle site (p=0.03). Conclusion: From this experimental study, we conclude that scleral buckling has an independent effect on the degree of fibrous proliferation in the eye after posterior penetrating eye injury.
Keywords: 608 trauma • 523 proliferation • 563 retinal detachment