Authors: Liu Xiaoying, Hu Zhulin, Kang Jianshu, Zhang Hong
Abstract [Download PDF] [Read Full Text]
Objective
To investigate the stimulating effects of conjunctival sac implants following eye enucleation on orbital bone tissue in rabbits model.
Methods
Eighty 1-month-old New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into normal control group, only eyeball enucleation group, 2-week interval group and 4-week interval group.The right eyeballs were enucleated in the rabbits in the only eyeball enucleation group, 2-week interval group and 4-week interval group, and conjunctival sac implants were placed intraoperatively.Then a larger implant was replaced in a 2-week interval or 4-week interval in different groups, respectively.Spiral CT scan was used to evaluate the orbital bone development with aging.The peripheral blood of 3 ml was collected in the rabbits for the detection of osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase using osteocalcin test kit (N-MID Osteocalcin) and alkaline phosphatase assay kit (NPP substrate-AMP buffer method), respectively.The animals were sacrificed at 3 months after operation for the histopathological examination of orbital bone tissue.
Results
The operation was successful in all the rabbits and no infection occurred after operation.The variance of orbital bone CT value was obvious in all the rabbits.The intercalated osteocalcin concentration was (48.55±7.99), (59.80±2.96), (57.94±5.20) and (55.96±3.22) μg/L and the alkaline phosphatase concentration was (284.66±132.69), (232.96±54.39), (232.40±118.23), (284.20±130.41)μg/L in the normal control group, only eyeball enucleation group, 2-week interval group and 4-week interval group, respectively, showing insignificant differences among the four groups (F=2.710, 0.281, both at P>0.05). Similar pathological findings were in the 2-week interval group and 4-week interval group, such as no obvious orbital bone malformations, weak bone absorption and few bone osteoclasts under the optical microscope.Varying degrees of orbital deformities and bone tissue absorption were found in the only eyeball enucleation group.No orbital bone developing abnormality was seen in the normal control group and the left eyes in various groups under the optical microscope.
Conclusions
Compared with the only eyeball enucleated eyes, the orbital bone tissue has a well developed process in conjunctiva sac implant eyes following eyeball enucleation.Conjunctiva sac implant is an effective method to stimulate orbital growth and orbital volume increasing.