Evaluation of the corneal endothelium in rabbits treated with subconjunctival ganciclovir (DHPG)

ABSTRACT

Design: It was carried out a prospective, masked and experimental study. Objectives: to detect possible modifications of the corneal endothelium at different times after subconjunctival injection of Ganciclovir into rabbit eyes. Method: The study was conducted on 24 eyes of 12 rabbits which received 8 mg Ganciclovir diluted in 0.16 ml distilled water by the subconjunctival route in one eye (selected at random) and 0.16 ml distilled water in the control eye. Specular microscopy of the cornea was performed in enucleated eyes; the corneal egdothelium was analyzed inside the preserving medium with the magnification of 250 times. The endothelial images were observed in the monitor of a PC (250X) and in the ocular lenses of the slit lamp (40X) simultaneously. Results: Subconjunctival injection of 8mg DHPG seems not to be toxic to corneal endothelium of rabbits in a period of 48 hours, and the alterations observed after 72 hours were similar in control and treated eyes. Conclusion: Subconjunctival injection of 8mg DHPG was not toxic to corneal endothelium of rabbits in a period of 48 hours