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Updated: Aug 8, 2026
A Step by Step Protocol for Subretinal Surgery in Rabbits
Published on: September 13, 2016
Instrumentation and technique for delivery of tissue explants to the subretinal space
Gabriele Thumann1, Sabin Aisenbrey, Frank Schaefer
1Department of Ophthalmology and IZKF BIOMAT., RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. G.Thumann@uni-koeln.de
Purpose:
The controlled orientation of subretinal or intraretinal delivery of delicate tissue sheets is a critical problem in retinal transplantation research.
Methods:
A surgical device (explant injector) was designed and built for the controlled delivery of tissue explants into the subretinal or intraretinal space via a vitrectomy approach. The technical feasibility was demonstrated in enucleated porcine eyes.
Results:
Using negative pressure, the injector allows for the fixation of an explant, such as a monolayer of cells cultured on a collagen membrane, on the carrier platform. The sheet can then be placed safely without loss of orientation in the subretinal space.
Conclusions:
With the aid of the explant injector, it is possible to deliver an explant with the proper orientation to a precise location in the subretinal space.
