Influence of exposure and closure on the postmortem oxygen consumption of the rabbit cornea

ABSTRACT

Oxygen consumption of the rabbit cornea was determined by Warburg direct method in exposed and compared with covered. Six, twelve, twenty-four, forty-eight and seventy-two hours after death, respectively, 8 corneas (4 corneas were exposed and other 4 corneas were covered) from each series were used for QO2 measurment and compared with fresh corneas. The results were as follows; 1) Oxygen consumption of fresh corneas were found to be about 0.79 micro IO2/mg (dry wt.)/hr and there was no significant difference between both eyes. 2) Until twelve hours after death, oxygen consumption in covered group was greater than in exposed group. 3) Twenty-four hours after death, exposed group consumed more oxygen than covered group and QO2 volume tended to increase in the course of time, probably by bacterial growth, but statistically not significant. 4) As the results described above, it was presumed that the cornea should be preserved for keratoplasty at least within twelve hours after death of the host and covered group would be better than exposed group.