title: Experimental study on the treatment of rabbit corneal melting after alkali burn with Collagen cross-linking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of Collagen cross-linking on the prevention of melting in rabbit corneas after alkali burn.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into model control group and collagen cross-linking treatment group. The second group of rabbits received collagen cross linked treatment. Both groups were applied with antibiotic eye drops to prevent infection. The corneas were evaluated for melting, opacity, pathological and immunohistochemistry, record the changes when 28 days after the animals were killed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the control group, 6 out of 8 rabbits showed corneal melting after injury (14±4) days, while two corneal perforated. In collagen cross-linking treatment group, one rabbit showed corneal melting after injury 23 days, without corneal perforation; corneal dissolution rate between the two groups was significantly different (P <0.05). Pathological examination suggested that in the treatment group, mild corneal edema, mild damage to collagen fibers, inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly less than the control group. Immunohistochemistry showed that corneal collagen fibers arranged in neat rows in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collagen cross-linking treatment not only can prevent and delay the corneal melting after alkali burn, but also can reduce the destruction of corneal collagen fibers and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the corneal tissue.
authors: Ophthalmic Center, No.474 Hospital of Chinese PLA, Urumchi 830013, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.
authors: Xiao-Wei
authors: XW
authors: Gao
authors: Xu-Dong
authors: XD
authors: Zhao
authors: Wen-Jing
authors: WJ
authors: Li
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Zhou
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Liu