Abstract:

Objective      To observe the biocompatibility of a new glaucoma drainage implant (GDI) made of polysulfone in rabbit eyes. Methods     Six white New Zealand rabbits were operated on. The right or left eyes  randomly served as the experimental group and the control group. In the  experimental group, the proximal end of the GDI was inserted into the anterior chamber while the distal end was placed under the scleral flap. The control  group was performed with a scleral flap. Slit-lamp follow-up and intraocular pressure measurements were recorded before the operation and 1, 2, 4 weeks after the surgery. Bilateral eyes were observed with ultrasound biomicroscopy(UBM)  at 1 week after surgery. At 1, 2, 4 weeks after surgery, two rabbits were killed and their eyes were enucleated and histologically processed, leaving the device in situ when sectioning.  Local tissue reactions after the GDI implanted into the rabbit eyes were observed. Results     In the first day after surgery, 4 eyes (50%) showed Tyndall sign in the experimental group and 2 eyes (12.5%) showed Tyndall sign in the control group. No eye had cellulose exudation. One week postoperatively, the Tyndall sign disappeared. Histological results showed no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group.  Inflammatory cell infiltration and collagenoblast increase happened in the two groups, but no foreign-body giant cells appeared. Expression was not significantly different between the experimental and control groups. Conclusions     GDI made of polysulfone has good biocompatibility. It has no acute rejection in local tissues.

Key words: Glaucoma； Glaucoma drainage implant  made of polysulfone； Biocompatibility