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Implantation of a Synthetic Cornea: Design, Development and Biological Response
Author(s) -
TrinkausRandall Vickery,
Wu Xin Yi,
Tablante Rita,
Tsuk Andrew
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.1997.tb00473.x
Subject(s) - cornea , in vivo , biomedical engineering , stromal cell , glycosaminoglycan , tissue engineering , materials science , rabbit (cipher) , stroma , aqueous humor , chemistry , pathology , ophthalmology , medicine , biology , biochemistry , statistics , immunohistochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , mathematics
Our goal was to evaluate 3 different designs of synthetic corneas in vivo. All devices had a transparent hydrogel center molded to a porous peripheral skirt. Over 30 devices were implanted into rabbits and followed for up to 6 months. The devices were preseeded with rabbit stromal fibroblasts, which enhanced the rate of fibroplasia. The anterior surface of the hydrogel was modified using argon of plasma treatments. Clinical examinations were performed, and histological analyses were conducted on tissue throughout the time course. Our optimal model ranged from 4.5 to 6 mm and had an extended porous skirt increasing the surface area for fibroplasia and ultimate anchorage of the device. Fibroplasia occurred in this model, and collagen was detected by 28 days. The anterior chamber was normal with no detectable leakage of aqueous humor. Glycosaminoglycans were detected and followed the time course outlined previously when porous material itself was inserted into the stroma. We present the first demonstration that rabbit limbal epithelial cells can migrate onto the synthetic cornea in vivo.