Effect of corneal wetting solutions on corneal thickness during ophthalmic surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the changes in corneal thickness with wetting solutions used in ophthalmic surgery.


METHODS
Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Izmir, Turkey.


METHODS
Thirty-one adult pigmented rabbits that weighed about 2.5 kg each were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. The rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups to receive 3 wetting solutions: Group 1, Ringer's lactate; Group 2, balanced salt solution (BSS); and Group 3, BSS with glutation (BSS Plus). The solutions were dropped on the right cornea of the rabbits at a rate of 6.0 cc in 12 minutes using an intravenous infusion pump. Corneal thickness was measured by ultrasonic pachymetry before and after the procedure, and the between-group changes in corneal thickness were compared.


RESULTS
The corneal thickness before and after the procedure was 361.27 microm +/- 19.3 (SD) and 380.00 +/- 25.0 microm, respectively, in Group 1 (P =.000); 372.10 +/- 18.8 microm and 388.60 +/- 24.1 microm, respectively, in Group 2 (P =.003); and 358.10 +/- 26.5 microm and 360.10 +/- 24.1 microm, respectively, in Group 3 (P =.316).


CONCLUSIONS
As a corneal wetting solution, BSS Plus resulted in significantly fewer changes in corneal thickness than Ringer's lactate or BSS. This should be considered in cases involving long intraocular surgery.
Emre
Sinan
S
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 351000 Bornova-Izmir, Turkey. sinan.emre@mailexcite.com
Akkin
Cezmi
C
Afrashi
Filiz
F
Yağci
Ayşe
A
D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007552:Isotonic Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008903:Minerals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D000077325:Ringer's Lactate; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000085:Acetates; C030660:BSS solution; D001639:Bicarbonates; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007552:Isotonic Solutions; D008903:Minerals; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D000077325:Ringer's Lactate; C013003:glutathione-bicarbonate-Ringer solution; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D005978:Glutathione