Escuela Superior de Oftalmologia, Instituto Barraquer de America, Bogota, Colombia.
Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico.
PLoS One. 2024 Nov 19;19(11):e0306015. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306015. eCollection 2024.
The shortage of donor corneas limits Bowman layer transplantation for keratoconus. In this study, we evaluate the clinical outcome of porcine anterior lens capsule (xenograft) transplantation in the corneal stroma of a rabbit model as substitute for Bowman layer graft that is used in stromal transplantation for advanced keratoconus.
Transplantation of porcine anterior lens capsule in the corneal stroma was performed in four New Zealand white rabbits through the creation of a stromal pocket. Corneal transparency, central corneal thickness, and topographic characteristics of corneas were evaluated at different time points: pre- (0) and post- (7, 14, 21, and 28) operative days. Additionally, at the end of the study histopathological findings were evaluated.
In comparison to pre-operative day, transplantation of an anterior lens capsule preserved corneal transparency, central corneal thickness, and topographic characteristics remained constant throughout the study period. Histopathological analysis revealed the presence of the anterior lens capsule as a fully integrated lamellar graft without adverse effects in host stroma.
The anterior lens capsule may be useful as a graft for intrastromal corneal trasplantation. Similarly to Bowman layer, anterior lens capsule has mechanical characteristics that facilitate corneal transplantation. In post-transplanted corneas the preservation of transparency, as well as the effect on corneal thickness, and topographic characteristics support the possibility of using anterior lens capsule as a substitute for Bowman layer graft.
供体角膜的短缺限制了圆锥角膜的 Bowman 层移植。在这项研究中，我们评估了猪前晶状体囊（异种移植物）在兔模型角膜基质中作为 Bowman 层移植物替代物的临床效果，Bowman 层移植物用于治疗晚期圆锥角膜的基质移植。
通过创建基质袋，将猪前晶状体囊移植到四只新西兰白兔的角膜基质中。在不同时间点（术前（0）和术后（7、14、21 和 28 天））评估角膜透明度、中央角膜厚度和角膜地形图特征。此外，在研究结束时评估组织病理学发现。
与术前相比，前晶状体囊的移植保持了角膜透明度，中央角膜厚度和地形图特征在整个研究期间保持不变。组织病理学分析显示，前晶状体囊作为完全整合的板层移植物存在，对宿主基质无不良影响。
前晶状体囊可用作基质内角膜移植的移植物。与 Bowman 层类似，前晶状体囊具有机械特性，有利于角膜移植。在移植后的角膜中，透明度的保持以及对角膜厚度和地形图特征的影响支持使用前晶状体囊作为 Bowman 层移植物替代物的可能性。
