Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate retinal viability in porcine eyes ex-vivo after simulation of vitreoretinal surgery by combined use of medical devices including BSS, vitreal staining, ILM staining, perfluoroctane and silicone oil endotamponade with minimal and with residues removal.
Methods :
25 porcine eyes were obtained from local slaughterhouse, disinfected with povidone iodide 5% and vitreoretinal surgery was simulated according to the following conditions: A) No surgery control: eye bulbs were kept for 30 min at room temperature (RT); B) Sham Surgery: vitreoretinal surgery with the sole use of BSS, 30 min at RT; C) Cytotoxic control: vitreoretinal surgery with BSS, injection of 1-H-perfluorooctane on retina, contact time 30 min at RT; D) Surgery with residues: vitreoretinal surgery with the use of BSS, vitreal staining, ILM staining, perfluoroctane and silicone oil endotamponade, leaving high residues of all materials; E) Surgery with removal of residues: vitreoretinal surgery with the use of BSS, vitreal staining, ILM staining, perfluoroctane and silicone oil endotamponade with careful removal of the residues. Each simulated condition was tested at least in quadruplicate by two technicians. Immediately after surgery, the retina was extracted from each eye bulb and at least 16 samples with 3 mm diameter were prepared. Retinal cells viability was determined after extraction, using TOX-1 In Vitro Toxicology Assay Kit, MTT based (Sigma-Aldrich, Italy). A viability < 70% is the cytotoxicity threshold.
Results :
Retina extracted from eye globes subjected to no surgery (A) and sham surgery (B) showed optimal cell viability (96 to 100%). Retina extracted after the surgery with residues removal (E) showed good cell viability (average 86%), while retina from eye bulbs after surgery with high residues (D) and cytotoxic control (C) resulted in high retinal cytotoxicity corresponding to low average cell viability of 40% and 29%, respectively.
Conclusions :
The tested conditions indicated that vitreoretinal surgery performed with the combined use of the medical devices (vitreal stain, ILM stain, perfluoroctane and silicone oil endotamponade) do not affect retinal viability if the residues of used medical devices are properly removed. The presence and accumulation of high residues derived from the medical devices used during vitreoretinal surgery could negatively impact retinal viability.
This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.