ABSTRACT
The major cause of failure of retinal detachment surgery is proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR). This disorder is characterized by the formation of the contractile cellular membrane on both surfaces of retina and within the vitreous cavity. These cellular membranes contract and thereby cause traction retinal detachment. The pathogenesis of this disorder is not fully understood. The authors developed a consistent model of proliferative vitreoretinopathy in the rabbit by partially digesting the post. Vitreous with repeated injection and aspiration of 1 IU of hyaluronidase before injection of 250,000 homologous dermal fibroblasts. All experimental rabbit eyes had vitreous opacity and hyperemia of the optic disc head. The progression of PVR was rapid and moderately severe. On day 1, 13 of 15 eyes(87%) had vitreous strand formation alone(Grade 1 PVR). One day 3, all 15 eyes(100%) had vitreous strand formation. We have developed a model of proliferative vitreoretinopathy in the rabbit. After intravitreal autotransplantation of tissue cultured homologous skin fibroblasts, we observed high rate of vitreous strand formation in the vitreous cavity. This experimental model will be useful for studying the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinopathy and evaluating potential treatment for its prevention.