[Biocompatibility of a special hydrogel orbital implant (PHEMA and MMA) in rabbits].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the biocompatibility of a hydrogel orbital implant and its rate of vascularization in an experimental study.


METHODS
The implant was made of copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA). Thirty-two hydrogel orbital implants were implanted into the right orbit of 32 New Zealand albino rabbits. The rate of vascularization was examined by SPECT, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Single Positron Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) examination showed that a radiotracer could be found locally concentrated on hydrogel orbital implants in vivo along with time. On light microscopy, implants fibro vascular tissue invade the pores of the hydrogel orbital implant after 2 weeks and gradually invaded the implant deeper and deeper from 4 to 8 weeks, almost all implants were fully vascularized after 12 weeks with a relatively spare inflammatory reaction. Only one case needed additional surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
The hydrogel orbital implant has many advantages, such as well biocompatible, fast vascularization, simple operation and low complication of surgery. It is safe and applicable for clinical use as a new type of orbital implant material.
Yin
Dong-fang
DF
Department of Ophthalmology, the General Hospital of PLA, Ophthalmic Center of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China.
Huang
Yi-fei
YF
He
Qing-hua
QH
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005260:Female; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D008297:Male; D020366:Methylmethacrylate; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D020273:Orbital Implants; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; D011817:Rabbits
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020366:Methylmethacrylate; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate