Photochemical keratodesmos as an adjunct to sutures for bonding penetrating keratoplasty corneal incisions.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the benefit of photochemical keratodesmos (PKD) in acute wound closure of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) corneal incisions in vivo.


METHODS
Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.


METHODS
Penetrating keratoplasty incisions were performed in both eyes of 6 New Zealand white rabbits, followed by application of 1.5 mM rose bengal dye at the wound edges. The incision in 1 eye of each rabbit was irradiated with neodymium:YAG laser light at 532 nm and fluence of 40 J/cm2; the contralateral control eye was untreated. Intraocular pressure at which fluid leaked at the edges (IOPL) was determined immediately after surgery.


RESULTS
The mean IOPL was 410 mm Hg +/- 70 (SD) in the PKD-treated eyes and 250 +/- 150 mm Hg in the unirradiated eyes. The difference was statistically significant by paired t test (P<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Photochemical keratodesmos may be a useful adjunct to sutures for approximating PKP corneal incisions in the immediate postoperative period. This process does not induce high temperature, and thus denaturation can be avoided and structural integrity restored.
Proano
Cinthia E
CE
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and the Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Azar
Dimitri T
DT
Mocan
Mehmet Cem
MC
Redmond
Robert W
RW
Kochevar
Irene E
IE
D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D007834:Lasers; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D012395:Rose Bengal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D012395:Rose Bengal