Intraocular injection of recombinant hirudin to prevent experimental postoperative fibrin.
OBJECTIVE
To test the efficacy of a single intraocular injection of various doses of recombinant desulphatohirudin variant 1 (Revasc) in a rabbit model after lensectomy-vitrectomy surgery.


METHODS
Standard fragmatome lensectomies and core vitrectomies were performed on Dutch Belted rabbits. In a masked fashion, 17 control eyes received single intraocular injections of lactated Ringer's solution, and the treated eyes, with eight eyes per treatment group, received single intraocular injections of hirudin at doses of 0.02 microgram, 2 micrograms, 10 micrograms, 50 micrograms, or 200 micrograms.


RESULTS
Intraocular injections of hirudin were effective in preventing postoperative fibrin formation at doses of 2 micrograms. There was no notable intraoperative bleeding. With an injection of 2.0 micrograms hirudin there was no hemorrhage at any time after surgery; with an injection of 200 micrograms hirudin, however, there was notable bleeding.


CONCLUSIONS
Hirudin is effective in the prevention of postoperative fibrin formation with a single intraocular injection of 2.0 micrograms after lensectomy-vitrectomy surgery in the rabbit model. There was no bleeding at the effective dose of 2.0 micrograms; at 100 times the effective dose, however, there was significant postoperative bleeding.
Toth
C A
CA
Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Nasir
M A
MA
Ho
C L
CL
Mittra
R A
RA
D000818:Animals; D005337:Fibrin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006629:Hirudins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D007267:Injections; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D014822:Vitreous Body
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D006629:Hirudins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005337:Fibrin; C060225:desirudin