DECELLULARISED PORCINE CORNEA AS AN ACELLULAR SCAFFOLD GRAFT FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CORNEAL ULCERS IN DOGS
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Date
2023-03-23
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCS, MANNUTHY, KERALA VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY
Abstract
The study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of decellularised porcine cornea as an acellular scaffold graft for the management of corneal ulcers in dogs. All dogs presented with corneal lesions were clinically examined and six dogs were selected randomly irrespective of age, breed and sex. Out of six dogs selected, five were Chinese pug and one was a Cane corso. The age of affected animals ranged from four months to 48 months with a mean value of 25.33 ± 6.44 months and three were male and three were female. Right eye was affected in four animals while left eye was affected in two animals. Thorough ophthalmic examination was carried out in all animals with bilateral evaluation of menace response, palpebral reflex, pupillary light reflex, cotton ball test, Schirmer tear test, Fluorescein dye test, direct ophthalmoscopy and slit lamp biomicroscopy. Decellularised porcine corneas were prepared using 0.1per cent Sodium dodecyl sulphate and efficiency of decellularisation was assessed by histological examinations. Under general anaesthesia, corneal grafting was done, after corneal wound debridement or iridectomy, with decellularised porcine cornea. All the corneas were protected using temporary tarsorrhaphy which was retained up to seven days and observations such as corneal clarity, oedema, neovascularisation, extent of pigmentation and scarring were serially recorded on day 7, 14, 21 and 60 post-grafting. Three corneas showed negative FDT on day 7 post grafting while complete epithelialisation was obtained in three corneas by day 21. Corneal oedema subsided by day 21 in all cases and neovascularisation was at peak on day 7 and 14 post-grafting which regressed completely by day 60 in all the cases. Corneal clarity improved gradually through the observation period. Vision impairing corneal melanosis and scarring was observed only in one out of six corneas. The main complications observed post operatively were development of corneal melanosis, scarring and anterior synechia formation in one cornea. It was concluded that re-epithelialisation and corneal wound healing were improved with minimal pigmentation and scarring by corneal grafting with decellularised porcine cornea as an acellular scaffold graft, in comparison to normal corneal healings reported