Comparison of the preservation effect of DX solution and glycerin preservation solution on corneal stromal lens

Objective

To compare the preservation effect of DX preservation solution and glycerin preservation solution on the corneal stromal lens.

Methods

Sixty intact corneal stromal lens samples were collected during femtosecond small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) from 60 myopic eyes of 30 subjects at Qingdao Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from February 2019 to May 2019.The samples were randomized into DX preserved 1-day group, DX preserved 1-week group, glycerin preserved 1-day group, glycerin preserved 1-week group and glycerin preserved 2-week group according to the different preservation methods, with 10 samples in each group.No intervention was done in the samples of the normal control group.Trypan blue staining was used to count the number of dead cells in the corneal stromal lens.The morphological structure of the corneal stromal lens was examined with an optical microscope, and its ultrastructure was observed under the transmission electron microscope.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.Written informed consent was obtained from each patient prior to any medical intervention.The study protocol was approved by an Ethics Committee of Qingdao Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (No.2019-30).

Results

The number of dead cells was (53.1±14.2), (50.8±9.8), (70.4±13.6) and (172.8±31.7) and (182.8±14.2) cells/field in the DX preserved 1-day group, DX preserved 1-week group, glycerin preserved 1-day group, glycerin preserved 1-week group and glycerin preserved 2-week group, respectively, showing a significant difference among the five groups (F=16.37, P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the DX preserved 1-day group and 1-week group (P>0.05). The number of dead cells was significantly less in the glycerin preserved 1-day group than that of the glycerin preserved 1-week group and glycerin preserved 2-week group, and the number of dead cells was significantly increased in the glycerin preserved 1-week group compared with the DX preserved 1-week group (all at P<0.05). The arrangement of collagen fibers of the corneal stromal lens was regular and the cells were intact in the normal control group, DX preserved 1-day group and DX preserved 1-week group.The tissue edema, bare cell nuclei and loose collagen fibers were found in the samples in the glycerin preserved 1-day group.The corneal stromal lens was compact and the collagen fibers were dense and the nuclei were intact in the DX preserved 1-day group and DX preserved 1-week group.The distribution of the cells was sparse and the cell structure was abnormal under the transmission electron microscope in various glycerin preserved groups.

Conclusions

The structure of corneal stromal lens can be well preserved for one week by DX storage solution.The preservation effect of DX solution is better for fresh human corneal stromal lens than glycerin solution.

Corneal surgery, laser; Tissue donors; Corneal stroma; Small incision corneal stromal lens extraction; Corneal stromal lens; DX preservation solution; Glycerin preservation solution