Ultrastructural Features of Rabbits’ Cornea in Phacoemulsification Using New Method of Adaptive Control of Infusion

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Employees of the Department of Ophthalmology of Bashkir State Medical University, jointly with engineers of the Department of Microsurgical Equipment of Optimedservice, have developed a new method of adaptive control of infusion during phacoemulsification (PE) permitting to control the infusion flow depending on the changes in the rate of aspiration and infusion flows characteristic of a certain hydrodynamic situation, and also on the vacuum level in the aspiration line. An important aspect of safety of the new method is histological and electron microscopic examination of rabbits’ cornea in different periods after experimental PE. AIM: To evaluate histological and electron microscopic features of the rabbits’ cornea after experimental PE using a new method of adaptive control of infusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment was conducted on 15 eyes of Chinchilla rabbits using a new method of adaptive control of infusion on the basis of Optimed Profi surgical system (Optimedservice, Russia). Histological and electron microscopic examinations of the cornea were performed on the 1st, 7th and 30th day after surgery. RESULTS: On the 1st day after surgery, according to the study data, signs of moderate edema of the corneal stroma with mild separation of collagen fiber bundles were observed. In the cell cytoplasm, signs of dystrophic processes in the epithelial cells were noticeable in the form of vacuoles of different sizes. On the 7th day after surgery, signs of alteration in the rabbits’ cornea reduced. In 30th days after surgery, based on the data of histological and electron microscopic examinations, the cornea fully corresponded to norm. CONCLUSION: The identified histological and electron microscopic alterations considerably diminish on the 7th day after surgery, and on the 30th day the ultrastructure of the cornea corresponds to the norm.