METHODS: Corneal infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staph aureus bacteria was induced in 20 eyes of 10 rabbits after 6 weeks of corneal cross-linking in half of the eyes, while the other acted as control group. Clinical and corneal histopathological examination was done to evaluate the extent of inflammation, ulceration, organism penetration, and depth of corneal stromal affection.
RESULTS: The control eyes developed severe inflammation compared to the cross-linked eyes. Corneal melting occurred in 6 eyes in the control versus none in cross-linked group. Histopathological examination showed that the inflammation was confined to the superficial part of the stroma with localization of the inflammation in the cross-linked eyes in contrast to the control eyes that showed deep infiltration.
CONCLUSIONS: PACK-CXL provides infection localization through increasing the corneal rigidity and resistance to enzymatic digestion, even in the absence of the riboflavin microbicidal role. So, early PACK-CXL is worth to be considered in the IK treatment algorithm.
方法:对10只兔20只眼进行角膜半交联6周后,诱发铜绿假单胞菌和金黄色葡萄球菌的角膜感染,而另一个作为对照组。进行临床和角膜组织病理学检查以评估炎症的程度,溃疡,有机体渗透,和角膜基质病变的深度。
结果:与交联眼相比,对照眼出现严重的炎症。对照组中的6只眼睛发生角膜融化,而交联组中没有。组织病理学检查显示,与显示深层浸润的对照眼相比,炎症仅限于基质的浅表部分,炎症位于交联眼中。
结论:PACK-CXL通过增加角膜硬度和对酶消化的抵抗力提供感染定位,甚至在没有核黄素杀菌作用的情况下。所以,早期PACK-CXL值得在IK治疗算法中考虑。