Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Porcine Corneal Tissue Explant to Study the Efficacy of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Antivirals
Published on: September 20, 2021
Dispersive viscosurgical devices demonstrate greater efficacy in protecting corneal endothelium in vitro
Timur Mert Yildirim1, Gerd U Auffarth1, Hyeck-Soo Son1
1The David J Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology, Heidelberg University Eye Clinic, Heidelberg, Germany.
Objective:
During phacoemulsification, the corneal endothelium is protected by an ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD). In this in vitro study, we assessed six different OVDs for their effectiveness in protecting the corneal endothelium.
Methods And Analysis:
Phacoemulsification was performed in cadaver eyes of young pigs. Five syringe units of six different OVDs were tested (Healon EndoCoat, Viscoat, Methylvisc, Healon, Healon GV, ProVisc). After surgery, the area of endothelium coated with OVD was determined in relation to the total endothelial surface. Additionally, an endothelial cell count was obtained. As a control, an endothelial cell count was obtained from freshly trephined corneas. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Spearman correlation.
Results:
The least postoperative endothelial coating and cell count were observed in the cohesive OVDs while the dispersive OVDs showed statistically significant higher values. Healon EndoCoat and Viscoat yielded a coating area of 86 (85-92)% and 85 (85-90)%, respectively. Endothelial cell count was highest in the two dispersive groups with 4065 (3928-4088) cells/mm2 (Methylvisc) and 4032 (4015-4115) cells/mm2 (Viscoat). Endothelial coating area and endothelial cell count correlated statistically significantly.
Conclusion:
Dispersive OVDs from this study showed greater adherence to the endothelial surface than the cohesive ones. Furthermore, postoperative endothelial cell counts of corneas treated with dispersive OVDs were higher than of corneas treated with cohesive OVDs. Our in vitro results suggest that dispersive OVDs protect the corneal endothelium better during phacoemulsification than cohesive OVDs.
Related Concept Videos
Distribution and Dispersion
Self-Efficacy
Zones of Protection
Protective zones are defined by closed dashed lines, containing one or more components. A key characteristic of these zones is the strategic placement of...
Protection of Alcohols
Protection
It defines a protecting group as the masking agent to make the more reactive species inert to a given set of conditions. This concept is depicted via the illustration of liquid flow through different outlets in an assembly of pipes. The analogy helps to understand the role...
Protecting Self-Esteem
Radial System Protection
In a radial system with a fault downstream of the third breaker, ideally, only the third breaker will open, isolating the fault and interrupting the load connected beyond it. The second breaker has a longer delay setting,...

