title: Analysis of hydrofluoric acid penetration and decontamination of the eye by means of time-resolved optical coherence tomography.
abstract: So far the study of chemical burns has lacked techniques to define penetration kinetics and the effects of decontamination within biological structures. In this study, we aim to demonstrate that high-resolution optical coherence tomography (HR-OCT) can close this gap. Rabbit corneas were exposed ex vivo to 2.5% hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution, and microstructural changes were monitored in the time domain by OCT imaging. HF application and penetration resulted in shrinkage of the corneal thickness, interpreted as a result of osmolar changes and of loss of water-binding capacity, and a substantial increase in OCT signal amplitudes. The effectiveness of different rinsing solutions on the chemical burn was also evaluated. With tap water and with 1% calcium gluconate, the deep corneal stroma remained clear until the end of the rinsing period but became opaque afterwards. With Hexafluorine, the cornea remained clear for 60 min after rinsing ceased. We conclude that HR-OCT can assist in the clinical evaluation of an ex vivo eye irritation test, and that decontamination of an HF burn using Hexafluorine is efficient.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Semiconductor Electronics, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstrasse 24, 52074 Aachen, Germany. spoeler@iht.rwth-aachen.de
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spöler
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frentz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Först
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.forename: Norbert F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Schrage
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D017611:Fluorine Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D007509:Irritants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011817:Rabbits; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D017611:Fluorine Compounds; D007509:Irritants; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; C445859:hexafluorine; D014867:Water; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid