Transforming growth factor β2 in the therapy of leaking and over-filtrating blebs

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2-15-1996

Journal

Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science

Volume

37

Issue

3

Abstract

Purpose. This study evaluates the effect of TGF β2 application on mitomycin C treated trabeculectomy in rabbits. Materials and Methods. Four groups of five rabbits underwent conventional trabeculectomy. In three groups mytomicin C (MMC), 0.5 mg/ml, was applied for 5 minutes immediately after the surgery. In two groups a sponge soaked in TGF β2, 0.32 mg/ml was applied over the conjunctiva for 5 minutes; in one immediately after surgery in another a week later. The clinical appearance of the filtering area was evaluated and the intraocular pressure was measured. Histologic evaluation of the treated area, conjunctival fibroblast count and vessels count were done. Results. The clinical appearance of the filtration blebs in the groups treated by mytomicin C and TGFβ2 were smaller and more vascular than the blebs in the group treated only by MMC. The MMC treated blebs lasted longer and were bigger than the control group untreated by MMC. In this small series there was no statistical difference in the fibroblast count, vessels count, in IOP and in the histologic appearance between the MMC treated blebs with or without TGFβ2. Conclusions. The simplicity of TGF β2 application, the resulting enhancement of bleb vascularization and the lack of side effects suggests that TGF β2 may have a role in the treatment of the complications, such as overfiltrating and leaking blebs, induced by the antimetabolites used in the glaucoma surgery.

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