Comparison of wound strength with and without a hydrogel liquid ocular bandage in human cadaver eyes.

PURPOSE: To determine whether a hydrogel liquid ocular bandage improves wound strength.

SETTING

John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

DESIGN

Laboratory investigation.

METHODS

The wound strength of 2.8 mm clear corneal incisions and 23-gauge scleral incisions was tested in cadaver eyes by raising the intraocular pressure (IOP) until leakage occurred. The pressure at the first sign of incision leakage with the liquid bandage and without the liquid bandage was determined.

RESULTS

Four corneal incisions and 4 scleral incisions were made in 5 cadaver eyes. The mean pressure at the first sign of corneal incision leakage was 59.5 mm Hg ± 21.0 (SD) without the liquid bandage and 198.1 ± 57.6 mm Hg with the liquid bandage (P<.0001). The mean pressure at the first sign of scleral incision leakage was 47.9 ± 21.4 mm Hg and 209.0 ± 42.9 mm Hg, respectively (P<.0001). Eight corneal incisions and 8 scleral incisions did not leak at the maximum pressure of 246 mm Hg. With both incision types, the difference in leakage with a liquid bandage in place and with no liquid bandage was statistically significant (P = .002).

CONCLUSION

With application of a hydrogel liquid ocular bandage, incisions withstood significantly higher IOP before leakage occurred than when no liquid bandage was used.