Use of sodium hyaluronate in severe penetrating ocular trauma.

This study describes the surgical treatment and eventual outcome of 15 cases of anterior-segment penetrating ocular trauma that would be classically considered as having a poor prognosis. Signs of poor prognosis included: corneal lacerations, complicated by signs of infection ranging from infiltration to necrotic digestion; large scleral lacerations, with ciliary body or choroidal prolapse; and an exaggerated inflammatory response to the trauma. Treatment included careful microsurgical techniques, vitrectomy (when necessary), use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents, and the liberal use of sodium hyaluronate to break fibrin adhesions and maintain the chamber at the close of surgery. Such treatment resulted in no enucleations, an average best corrected visual acuity of 20/80, an average normal angle of 314 degrees, and 13 cases of normal intraocular pressure without medication.