Experimental evaluation of perfluorophenanthrene as a high specific gravity vitreous substitute: a preliminary report

Perfluorophenanthrene, a liquid fluorocarbon with a specific gravity approximately twice that of water, potentially offers certain advantages as a vitreous substitute in vitreoretinal surgery. To determine its efficacy and safety we first purified it by chemical methods used in the preparation of experimental blood substitutes to a level at which it was not at all or only minimally toxic to culture-grown retinoblastoma cells. Nineteen of 22 vitrectomized eyes of white New Zealand rabbits injected with this purified perfluorophenanthrene showed satisfactory clinical tolerance. Light and electron microscopy showed minimal or no toxic effects in the 19 eyes, although uptake of perfluorophenanthrene by some preretinal cells was observed 28 days after implantation. Postoperative light-adapted electroretinography recordings of eight of the injected eyes showed no significant change. Perfluorophenanthrene injected into the anterior chamber of the rabbit eyes had toxic effects on the cornea. If further experimentations confirm our findings, perfluorophenanthrene may be a suitable transparent high-density liquid for temporary use in surgery to repair retinal detachments.

Regular silicone and fluorosilicone oil in the prevention of retinal detachment caused by experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy

The effect of both regular silicone and fluorosilicone in preventing retinal detachment caused by experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy was studied in rabbit eyes which received 250,000 fibroblasts after vitrectomy and lensectomy. In the control group, 14 out of 20 eyes which received fibroblasts had retinal detachments with disorganization of internal structures. In eyes receiving fibroblast and regular silicone, 4 out of 20 eyes had shallow retinal detachment. In the eyes receiving fibroblasts and fluorosilicone, 5 of 28 eyes had shallow retinal detachment. Our findings indicate that both regular silicone and fluorosilicone were effective in preventing retinal detachments caused by experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy. There was no statistical difference between the two silicone oils.

Contact application of Nd:YAG laser through a fiberoptic and a sapphire tip

We evaluated the effects of Nd:YAG laser energy directly applied to ocular tissue through a fiberoptic and a sapphire tip. All ocular tissue could be easily cut with the maximum 4 watts of energy. The coagulated borders extended 20 to 200 mu into the healthy tissue depending on the speed with which the cutting was performed.

Intravitreal injection of liposome-encapsulated ganciclovir in a rabbit model

The authors determined the intravitreal clearance of liposome-encapsulated ganciclovir. Liposome-encapsulated ganciclovir (84.1 micrograms/0.1 ml) was injected into the vitreous cavity of New Zealand rabbits, which were killed at 24 hours and 7, 14, and 28 days after injection. Total ganciclovir concentrations in the vitreous, up to 28 days, were higher than ID50 (50% inhibitory dose) for different clinical and laboratory strains of viruses belonging to the herpes simplex family.