Effect of amniotic membrane transplantation on the healing of bacterial keratitis.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To study, with the use of an animal model, the efficacy of amniotic membrane (AM) transplantation as adjunctive treatment in corneal healing after bacterial keratitis.

METHODS:

Staphylococcus aureus keratitis was induced in 47 rats by injection of bacteria into the corneal stroma. Treatment was started 48 hours later with one of three randomly assigned protocols: cefazolin drops (50 mg/mL) and AM transplantation (n = 16); nonpreserved 0.9% saline drops and AM transplantation (n = 15); or cefazolin without AM transplantation (n = 16). Cefazolin and saline drops were administered every 30 minutes for 6 hours, then hourly for 6 hours. AM was transplanted 24 hours after termination of cefazolin or saline treatment. Results were clinically assessed 7 days after AM transplantation or at the corresponding time in the nontransplanted animals. The rats were then killed, and their corneas were removed for bacterial counts or histopathologic examination.

RESULTS:

The best clinical results were observed in the group treated with cefazolin and AM transplantation, manifested by the least corneal haze and neovascularization (P = 0.007 and P = 0.014, respectively) and minimal bacterial counts (28 colony-forming units [CFU]/mL compared with 160 CFU/mL and 240 CFU/mL, respectively). Histopathologic examination showed that the central corneal vessels from rats treated with cefazolin and AM were smaller and less congested than those from the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

AM transplantation is a useful adjunctive treatment after bacterial keratitis in this rat model. The transplanted AM improved the healing process, resulting in decreased corneal haze and less neovascularization.

• Authors: Irina S Barequet, Zohar Habot-Wilner, Nathan Keller, Gill Smollan, Hana Ziv, Michael Belkin, Mordechai Rosner
• Journal: Investigative ophthalmology & visual science (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci) Vol. 49 Issue 1 Pg. 163-7 (Jan 2008) ISSN: 0146-0404 [Print] United States
• PMID: 18172088 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Cefazolin

Topics

• Amnion (transplantation)
• Animals
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (administration & dosage)
• Cefazolin (administration & dosage)
• Colony Count, Microbial
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Corneal Neovascularization (prevention & control)
• Corneal Opacity (prevention & control)
• Corneal Ulcer (drug therapy, pathology, surgery, therapy)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Eye Infections, Bacterial (drug therapy, pathology, surgery, therapy)
• Humans
• Male
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Staphylococcal Infections (drug therapy, pathology, surgery, therapy)
• Staphylococcus aureus (physiology)
• Wound Healing