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Injectability of silicone oil-based tamponade agents
R L Williams1, M J Day, M J Garvey
1Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, Liverpool, UK. rlw@liverpool.ac.uk
The British Journal of Ophthalmology
|November 13, 2010
Summary
High viscosity silicone oils are difficult to inject. Blending these oils with high molecular weight additives improves injectability while maintaining resistance to emulsification, offering a practical solution for ophthalmic surgery.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Biomaterials Science
- Rheology
Background:
- High viscosity silicone oils are crucial tamponade agents in ophthalmic surgery.
- Their high viscosity, while enhancing emulsification resistance, poses significant injection challenges.
- Increasing extensional viscosity is a potential strategy to mitigate emulsification without compromising injectability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the injection characteristics of silicone oils with modified extensional viscosity.
- To determine if silicone oil blends can achieve improved injectability compared to single-grade oils.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated shear viscosity and injection time for various silicone oils (Siluron 1000, 2000, 5000, SiliconMate) and blends (Blend A, Blend B).
- Measured the time required to inject a standard volume (9 ml) of each sample.
- Characterized silicone oil blends with varying ratios of standard oils and high molecular weight polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).
Main Results:
- Shear viscosities of Siluron 1000, 2000, and 5000 were within expected ranges.
- Blend A (Siluron 1000/5000) exhibited a shear viscosity of 2283 mPa·s, and Blend B (Siluron 1000/PDMS) showed 4710 mPa·s.
- Lower viscosity oils (Siluron 1000, SiliconMate) had shorter injection times, but Blend B demonstrated easier injection than Siluron 5000, and Blend A was easier to inject than Siluron 2000.
Conclusions:
- Silicone oil blends incorporating small amounts of high molecular weight additives exhibit superior injectability.
- These blends offer a promising alternative to single-grade silicone oils, balancing emulsification resistance with ease of use.
- The findings suggest a new approach to formulating ophthalmic tamponade agents.
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