Suppression of experimental tractional retinal detachment by low-dose radiation therapy
T. A. Meredith, L. Ficker, R. Stevens, Z. Olkowski, M. Anderson, J. Hartmann and I. Crocker
Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322.
We used a standardized model of traction retinal detachment (TRD) created
by cellular membranes in the rabbit to test the effects of low-dose
radiation therapy in suppressing TRD. The vitreous and lens were removed
from pigmented rabbits, and homologous conjunctival fibroblasts were grown
in cell culture. After resolution of postoperative inflammation, 50,000
fibroblasts in 0.1 mL of culture fluid were injected into the vitreous
cavity. Ten eyes were maintained as controls. Nineteen eyes received 6 Gy
(600 rad) of x-ray irradiation one to three hours after cellular injection.
Eyes were monitored weekly for three weeks with indirect ophthalmoscopy.
Seven (70%) of ten control eyes developed TRD at one week; no additional
TRDs were noted at weeks 2 and 3. Significantly smaller numbers of
irradiated eyes developed TRD: at week 1, two (11%) of 19; at week 2, five
(28%) of 18; and at week 3, five (29%) of 17.