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New improvements in Boston Keratoprosthesis (KPro): titanium surface modifications
Author(s) -
SALVADOR CULLA B,
JEONG KJ,
PASCHALIS EI,
CHIANG HH,
GIPSON IK,
DOHLMAN CH,
KOHANE DS
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2012.3874.x
Subject(s) - biocompatibility , keratoprosthesis , materials science , rod , coating , surface modification , titanium , cornea , biomedical engineering , ophthalmology , chemistry , composite material , medicine , metallurgy , pathology , alternative medicine
Purpose Improve biointegration and esthetics of Boston KPro through Ti coating. Methods Polydopamine (PDA) was used to form a Ti oxide (TiO2) film on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) rods through liquid phase deposition. The rods were inserted in porcine corneas and kept in culture for two weeks. Biointegration was assessed by measuring the force required to pull the rods out of the corneas with an Instron 5542 tensiometer, followed by SEM examination of their surface. Color modification (blue or brown) of Ti backplates of the Boston KPro was achieved using oxide formation in an anodization setup, and biocompatibility was studied using human corneal limbal epithelial cells. Results Mechanical pull‐out showed that TiO2 significantly increased the force required to separate the rods from the corneas (0.354 N), compared to bare PMMA (0.039 N) and PDA (0.098 N). SEM images showed residual cellular and extracellular materials only on TiO2‐coated rods. Ti oxidation produced blue or brown‐coated backplates. No difference was observed in proliferation, migration or cytotoxicity between coated and uncoated groups in cell culture (p>0.745). Conclusion TiO2 coating enhanced corneal tissue integration with PMMA rods. Oxidation also improved the esthetics of the Ti backplates of the Boston KPro, without compromising its safety or biocompatibility.