Vascularisation of ocular coralline hydroxyapatite implants.

Vascularisation of coralline hydroxyapatite used to replace the enucleated bulb is of critical importance for the uncomplicated implantation of a motility peg connecting the implant with the cosmetic prosthesis. Technetium-99m diphosphopropanedicarboxylic acid (DPD) single-photon emission tomography (SPET) was used to evaluate the rate of vascularisation as well as the time required for completion of vascularisation. Twenty-four patients were enrolled in the study, which was designed to evaluate vascularisation 10 days, 2 months and 4 months after implantation of a coralline implant. Nineteen patients completed the study and the visual impression of the completion of the vascularisation was scored from 0 (no vascularisation) to + (complete vascularisation) for each patient. No tracer accumulation was detected in any patient at the 10-day examination. Increasing vascularisation was demonstrated with time, and full vascularisation of the coralline implant was seen in all but one case by 4 months after implantation. We conclude that vascularisation of ocular coralline hydroxyapatite implants occurs early and is completed by 4 months after implantation in most cases, but should be confirmed at this time by 99mTc-DPD SPET.