Clinical and Histopathological Effects of Intracameral Ranibizumab in Experimental Trabeculectomy

Abstract

Post-surgical scarring is a known cause of trabeculectomy failure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of ranibizumab as an adjuvant anti-scarring agent in experimental trabeculectomy. Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomised into four eye treatment groups: groups A (control), B (ranibizumab 0.5 mg/mL), C (mitomycin C [MMC] 0.4 mg/mL), and D (ranibizumab 0.5 mg/mL and MMC 0.4 mg/mL). Modified trabeculectomy was performed. Clinical parameters were assessed on post-operative days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 21. Twenty rabbits were euthanised on day 7, and the other twenty were euthanised on day 21. Eye tissue samples were obtained from the rabbits and stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E). All treatment groups showed a significant difference in IOP reduction compared with group A (p p = 0.001) and 21 (p = 0.002) relative to group A. H&E staining showed significantly low fibrotic activity (p p p p = 0.007). Ranibizumab plays a role in reducing scarring, and a single application of the ranibizumab–MMC combination showed a moderate wound-modulating effect in the early post-operative phase.

Keywords

• modulation agent
• wound healing
• ocular surgery
• ranibizumab
• trabeculectomy