Controlled trial of hyperbaric oxygen treatment for alkali corneal burn in the rabbit.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of alkali-induced corneal burns in an animal model.


METHODS
Twenty-four rabbits were randomized into a control group (n = 12) and hyperbaric oxygen treatment group (n = 12). After induction of anaesthesia, the alkali burn model was established by application of 1 N sodium hydroxide to one eye of each rabbit. The hyperbaric oxygen treatment group was treated each day for 21 days with hyperbaric oxygen at 2.4 Atmospheres Absolute (ATA) for 1 h. The eyes of the animals were examined daily for 2 weeks and then weekly until the end of the trial. The principal endpoint was that of perforation of the cornea at which time the animals were killed with a lethal dose of either intravenous or intraperitoneal barbiturate and the eyes immediately enucleated and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin. All animals in which complete healing took placed were also killed, the eyes removed, fixed and examined histologically. Photographs were taken of the rabbit's eyes at weekly intervals and the area of vascularization and epithelial defects in the hyperbaric and control groups were compared.


RESULTS
Equal numbers (seven) of the control and hyperbaric oxygen treated groups had perforated corneas and there was no statistical difference in the mean time to perforation (control 30.1 days; treated 30 days). There was also no statistical difference between the two groups with respect to epithelial defect size.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with hyperbaric oxygen for 1 h daily for 21 days had no beneficial effect on alkali-induced corneal burns.
Hirst
Lawrence W
LW
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. lawrie.hirst@pbf.org.au
Summers
Phillip M
PM
Griffiths
David
D
Bancroft
Josephine
J
Lillicrap
Gary R
GR
D000818:Animals; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000628:therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012421:Rupture; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
D012972:Sodium Hydroxide