Ultrasonically accelerated resorption of vitreous membranes.

A noninvasive procedure was used to treat membranes within the vitreous with controlled exposure to focused high-intensity ultrasound in rabbit eyes. Membranes were created by injecting small quantities of platelet-rich plasma into the vitreous of the intact globe of anesthetized rabbits. The average time for untreated membranes (controls and shams) to be resorbed was 34 days, whereas the average time to total resorption of membranes treated with ultrasound was 21 days. This comparison showed that high-intensity ultrasound was effective in accelerating the resorption of this type of vitreous membrane. This ultrasound technique is totally noninvasive and can be used without damage to other ocular tissues. Although this animal model departs in some respects from human vitreous membranes, eventual clinical applications are indicated in selected cases where vitrectomy must be delayed or is contraindicated. Noninvasive disruption of vitreous membranes by therapeutic ultrasound offers great promise for reducing the visual limitations produced by such membranes, and eliminating the sequence of disease leading to permanent visual loss.