Biomechanical considerations: evaluating scleral reinforcement materials for pathological myopia.
OBJECTIVE
Scleral biomechanical weakness and thinness are known to be one of the main factors in the pathogenesis of progressive myopia. Posterior scleral reinforcement surgery remains the rational treatment for pathological myopia. We tested the biomechanical properties of 3 types of scleral reinforcement materials (artificial pericardium, human sclera, and all-dermal matrix) in an attempt to select the ideal material for the reinforcement of pathologic sclera.


METHODS
Experimental study.


METHODS
Forty-five adult Japanese white rabbits.


METHODS
Animals were equally divided into 3 groups. For each group, 1 type of material was surgically implanted at the back of the globe. We harvested samples after 10 months of implantation, tested the elasticity modulus for both reinforced sclera and unreinforced control sclera, and assessed data by t test methods. Statistically significant differences were considered when p < 0.05.


RESULTS
Rabbit sclera reinforced by artificial pericardium or human sclera showed significant increases in the elasticity modulus compared with control eyes. However, the rabbit sclera reinforced by all-dermal matrix showed no significant difference in the elasticity modulus compared with normal controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The analysis of biomechanical considerations in scleral reinforcement materials presented here is a very helpful method to choose the best materials for treatment of myopia. Of all materials tested, the artificial pericardium and human foreign-body sclera provided the best biomechanical characteristics.
Yan
Zhipeng
Z
Department of Ophthalmology, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazuang, China.
Wang
Chaoying
C
Chen
Weiyi
W
Song
Xiujun
X
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004547:Elastic Tissue; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000601:surgery*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000637:transplantation*; D011817:Rabbits; D012590:Sclera / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D016639:Scleroplasty; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous