title: Experimental anterior lens capsule transplantation for chronic corneal ulcers-Bowman's layer replacement?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to measure the value of allografted anterior lens capsule in the reepithelialization of recurrent corneal ulcers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mechanical ulcers of uniform size were created with a 6-mm corneal trephine in both eyes of four Chinchilla male rabbits at one-third corneal depth. Following initial epithelial regrowth, an identical injury was created in the same area of each cornea a second time. In four eyes (treated group), an anterior lens capsule from a healthy donor rabbit was sutured into the ulcer bed followed by antibiotic/steroid drops three times daily for 1 week. The remaining four control eyes were allowed to heal without surgical intervention using the same antibiotic/steroid drops only. Slit-lamp examination and histopathology findings were recorded over a 6-month follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The four treated eyes reepithelialized after the second injury at a faster rate than the control group eyes and had a lower percentage of corneal opacification at all follow-up exam dates. Histopathology revealed normal epithelium overlying the transplanted anterior lens capsule and no infiltration of inflammatory cells in the subepithelial stroma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In experimental conditions, allotransplantation of anterior lens capsule speeds up reepithelialization after repeated mechanical trauma to the cornea. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental transplantation of an anterior lens capsule to create an artificial Bowman's layer in recurrent corneal ulcerations to aid reepithelialization and minimize corneal scarring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Opthalmology, University of P J Safárik, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovak Republic. ikozak_ 2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kozák
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trbolová
authors.forename: Lev
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kolodzieyski
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Juhás
authors.forename: Valent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ledecký
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002682:Chinchilla; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000503:physiopathology; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012008:Recurrence; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous