Uso do pericárdio de eqüino conservado em glicerina como enxerto penetrante da córnea de cães. Estudo experimental | Use of horse pericardium preserved in glycerin as corneal graft in dogs. Experimental study

Com o objetivo de estudar o emprego do pericárdio de eqüino, conservado em glicerina, na reparação experimental de defeitos penetrantes da córnea de cães utilizaram-se 15 animais; mestiços, machos e fêmeas, pesando entre 8 e 10 kg. Uma lesão penetrante da córnea de 5 x 4 mm foi provocada e fragmento de pericárdio, de igual dimensão, foi suturado em pontos simples separados com Prolene 7-0. Os animais foram sacrificados nos tempos 2,7,15, 30 e 70 dias de pósoperatório. Os resultados obtidos, quando analisados, tanto do ponto de vista clínico quanto histológico, mostraram que<br />o pericárdio de eqüino conservado apresentou-se como meio satisfatório de reparação penetrante de lesões da córnea de cães.<br /><br />

Repair of the cornea is a challenge to several researches. Cornea lesions have been treated by many different methods. The purpose of this paper was to study the use of horse preserved pericardium to repair dog cornea. Fifteen mixed breed dogs, male and female, 8 to 10 kg of body weight were used. After pre-surgical procedures, under general anesthesia, a fill-thickness piece of cornea of 5 x 4 mm was excised. A fragment of the same size of horse pericardium preserved in glycerin was sutured with<br />7-0 prolen in single suture. Clinical examination revealed blefarospasm, cloudy cornea and flare that disappeared in two weeks. In the 9th day post-surgery, superficial vascularization and granulation tissue were observed over the graft and the suture. Opacity of the graft persisted until the end of observation period, when a very mild transparence was noted. Fluorescein stain was retained until the 36th day. Anterior chamber was deep all over the experimental period and pupils were symetrical. IOP<br />was initially low but raised to normal values. Acute inflammatory reaction and fibrosis could be seen hitologically. The graft was epithelized on the 36th day. On the 70th day, mild chronic inflammation and endothelization were observed and the site of the graft looked like a “sandwich” (epithelium - stroma - implant - stroma - epithelium).<br />