Coralline hydroxyapatite keratoprosthesis in rabbits.
BACKGROUND
The ideal keratoprosthesis will have a curvature similar to that of the recipient cornea and allow the tissue to grow into the supporting material. We developed a support for a keratoprosthesis made of porous hydroxyapatite, which is highly biocompatible, biointegrable, non-biodegradable, and colonizable.


METHODS
We implanted the keratoprosthesis unilaterally in the right eyes of 12 New Zealand rabbits, intralamellarly and between a homologous episclerokeratoplasty (with and without conjunctival flap) for 12 months. Pathology studies and technetium-99 bone scans were performed.


RESULTS
We found good vascularization, no signs of infection or extrusion, no epithelial downgrowth, and no adverse tissue reaction.


CONCLUSIONS
A clinical trial of this keratoprosthesis is warranted.
León
C R
CR
Barraquer Institute of America, Bogota, Colombia.
Barraquer
J I
JI
Barraquer
J I
JI
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003063:Cnidaria; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000473:pathology; D017886:Durapatite; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits; D012590:Sclera / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D017886:Durapatite