Effect of 1% sodium hyaluronate (healon®) on a nonregenerating (feline) corneal endothelium

• Published in: Investigative ophthalmology & visual science Vol. 27; no. 10; pp. 1485 - 1494
• Main Authors: BAHN, C. F, GROSSEROLE, R, MUSCH, D. C, FEDER, J, MEYER, R. F, MACCALLUM, D. K, LILLIE, J. H, RICH, N. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Association for Research in Vision and Ophtalmology 01-10-1986
• Subjects: Animals; Aqueous Humor; Biological and medical sciences; Cats; Cornea - drug effects; Corneal Injuries; Corneal Transplantation; Endothelium - drug effects; Hyaluronic Acid - pharmacology; Lenses, Intraocular - adverse effects; Medical sciences; Postoperative Complications - prevention & control; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the eye and orbit; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Cornea; Homograft; Penetrating graft; Endothelium; Rejection; Vertebrata; Eye disease; Mammalia; Animal; Cat; Hyaluronic acid; Experimental surgery
• ISSN: 0146-0404; 1552-5783

A series of experiments were performed to investigate the effect of 1% sodium hyaluronate (Healon) on the nonregenerating corneal endothelium of the cat. Aqueous humor replacement with 1% sodium hyaluronate resulted in mild, transient elevations of intraocular pressure compared to eyes that were injected with balanced salt solution. Sodium hyaluronate 1% protected the feline endothelium against cell loss incurred by contact with hyaluronate-coated intraocular lenses compared to endothelial contact with lenses that were not coated with sodium hyaluronate. The use of intraoperative 1% sodium hyaluronate, however, did not protect against endothelial cell loss incurred by penetrating keratoplasty or prevent subsequent skin graft-induced corneal homograft rejections. Homograft rejections were milder, however, in some eyes that received grafts coated with 1% sodium hyaluronate. Image analysis of photographs of trypan blue- and alizarin red-stained corneal buttons after trephining, stretching of Descemet's membrane, rubbing against iris-lens preparations, or immediately after penetrating keratoplasty demonstrated that the stretching of the posterior cornea is an important cause of endothelial damage that would not be protected against by a viscoelastic coating.