Limitation of retinal injury by vitreoperfusion initiated after onset of ischemia
N. P. Blair, W. E. Shaw, R. Dunn Jr, Y. Tsukarhara, C. Floro and M. M. Rusin
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois, Chicago College of Medicine 60612.
We tested whether vitreoperfusion, a new method of perfusing the vitreous
cavity with solutions containing nutrients, can limit retinal injury if
initiated after the onset of ischemia. Severe bilateral ocular ischemia was
induced in cats with healed lensectomy-vitrectomy wounds; 30, 60, 90, or
120 minutes later, one eye from each of 18 cats underwent vitreoperfusion
while the ischemia continued for 120 minutes. The other eye simultaneously
underwent either continued untreated ischemia or reinstated circulation.
The histopathologic abnormalities evident after 8 days depended on the
duration of ischemia. Reinstated circulation yielded less retinal damage
than continued ischemia. Nine additional cats underwent bilateral ischemia
for at least 210 minutes. Vitreoperfusion was initiated in one eye after 30
minutes. In each cat, the vitreoperfused eye fared significantly better as
observed histopathologically and electroretinographically. We believe that
no other treatment has similarly limited retinal injury in vivo when
initiated so long after total ocular ischemia has developed.
