Restoration of electroretinogram activity in exenterated swine eyes following ophthalmic artery anastomosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the feasibility of restoring electroretinogram (ERG) activity of exenterated swine eyes following in vivo arterial anastomosis.


METHODS
The carotid artery was exposed and cannulated. The eye was exenterated along with the extraocular muscles and surrounding connective tissue. Prior to eye transplantation, the ophthalmic artery was identified and anastomosed to the carotid artery. Perfusion was confirmed by injecting FITC-conjugated tomato lectin into the anastomotic tubing and performing confocal microscopy of retinal flat-mounts. Dark-adapted ERG and optic nerve responses were analyzed to assess retinal function, and dilated eye examination and retinal imaging were performed.


RESULTS
Arterial anastomosis resulted in perfusion of blood from the carotid artery through the anastomosis and into the ophthalmic artery. Arterial perfusion was confirmed by the presence of tomato lectin-stained retinal vessels. Immediately following the anastomosis, ERG and optic nerve activities were minimal. However, an "a" wave (representing photoreceptor activity), "b" wave (representing bipolar cell activity), and optic nerve responses (representing RGC activity) were detected 30 min after reperfusion.


CONCLUSIONS
Electroretinographic function is partially recovered following re-anastomosis of exenterated swine eyes. This model would be useful for further studies on eye transplantation.
Shi
Jun
J
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Ellenberg
David
D
Kim
Jae Yong
JY
Qian
Haohua
H
Ripps
Harris
H
Jain
Sandeep
S
Chang
Jin-Hong
JH
Azar
Dimitri T
DT
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000379:methods; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D009880:Ophthalmic Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D037121:Plant Lectins; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine
D037121:Plant Lectins; C034981:tomato lectin; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate