title: Intravitreal and subretinal injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in the treatment of experimentally created retinal vein occlusion in rabbits.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Doheny Retina Institute, Doheny Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ameri
authors.forename: June-Gone
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tanapat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ratanapakorn
authors.forename: Gerald J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Chader
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Humayun
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator