Intravitreal and subretinal injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in the treatment of experimentally created retinal vein occlusion in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of intravitreal or subretinal injection of tPA in the treatment of experimentally created retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in rabbits.


METHODS
Fifteen rabbits were included in this study. RVO was created in all using an argon green laser following intravenous injection of rose Bengal. Follow-up examinations included color fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Following examinations at day 2, animals were divided into three groups: six rabbits were kept as control, four rabbits received subretinal injection of tPA, and five rabbits received intravitreal tPA.


RESULTS
Of 14 eyes that had capillary drop out at day 2 following creation of RVO, 12 remained the same at week 3. Only one eye in the control group and one eye in the subretinal group developed complete reperfusion of capillaries. Although there was more revascularization in all groups at week 3, there was not a significant difference in the amount of revascularization between the control group and those animals receiving subretinal or intravitreal tPA.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal or subretinal injection of tPA 2 days following vein occlusion did not improve reperfusion of retinal vessels in experimentally created RVO in rabbits when compared to control group.
Ameri
Hossein
H
Doheny Retina Institute, Doheny Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Kim
June-Gone
JG
Ratanapakorn
Tanapat
T
Chader
Gerald J
GJ
Humayun
Mark S
MS
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D007267:Injections; D011817:Rabbits; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014822:Vitreous Body
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator