Comparison of posterior capsule opacification in rabbits receiving either mitomycin-C or distilled water for sealed-capsule irrigation during cataract surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To compare posterior capsule opacification (PCO) in rabbits who undergo cataract surgery and receive either mitomycin-C (MMC) or distilled water (DW) during sealed-capsule irrigation (SCI). In addition, we examined the toxicity of DW and MMC.


METHODS
Twenty-four eyes from 12 rabbits were divided into three groups. Balanced salt solution (BSS), DW, MMC 0.4 mg/mL was injected into the capsular bag for 2 min after endocapsular phacoemulsification and insertion of a SCI device. The degree of PCO was assessed by POCOman software at 3 months post surgery. Central corneal thickness, anterior chamber inflammation were assessed 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 1 month and 3 months postoperatively.


RESULTS
A statistically significant difference in PCO scores was noted between the control and study groups (P < 0.05). The PCO scores of the MMC group were significantly lower than those of the DW group (P < 0.05). The MMC and DW groups did not show significant toxicity compared with the BSS group.


CONCLUSIONS
MMC is more effective in reducing PCO than DW; the SCI device can protect the surrounding ocular tissue from MMC toxicity in rabbit eyes.
Kim
Su-Young
SY
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Jin-Hyung
JH
Choi
Jun-Sub
JS
Joo
Choun-Ki
CK
D000818:Animals; D000963:Antimetabolites; D002386:Cataract / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects*; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011817:Rabbits; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000963:Antimetabolites; D014867:Water; D016685:Mitomycin