title: Scleral plug of biodegradable polymers for controlled drug release in the vitreous.
abstract: We designed a new device, a scleral plug, that releases drugs into the vitreous after being implanted and fixed at the pars plana. Use of the plug for provision of doxorubicin hydrochloride was evaluated in rabbits. The scleral plug (8.5 mg) was made of poly(lactic-glycolic acid) (molecular weight, 40,000 daltons) containing 1% doxorubicin. Vitreous concentrations of doxorubicin were measured after the implantation. In vitro studies showed that the plug released 26% of the drug during 4 weeks. In vivo studies demonstrated that the concentration in the vitreous humor was maintained at a therapeutic range for longer than 4 weeks. No substantial toxic reactions were observed by electroretinographic and histopathologic evaluations. Our findings suggested that a scleral plug made of biodegradable polymers is a promising device for a controlled drug-release system in the vitreous.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashizoe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moritera
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kyo
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hyon
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D004343:Drug Implants; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000187:drug effects; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D019344:Lactic Acid; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers; D011817:Rabbits; D012590:Sclera; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004343:Drug Implants; D011108:Polymers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D004317:Doxorubicin