Scleral reactions to different suture materials: A comparative quantitative histological study in a rabbit model

Scleral fixation of intraocular lenses is a surgical technique that involves anchoring an artificial lens to the sclera. Traditional approaches, such as capsular bag placement, may not be feasible in certain situations, making scleral fixation a valuable alternative. The scleral reactions to different types of suture materials are not fully understood. Therefore, the present study describes the microscopic structure of normal scleral tissue and its changes with suture materials.

We compared six groups of rabbit eyes focusing on the sclera: group with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) chain, PTFE fiber, polypropylene (PPE) fiber and control groups. multilevel sampling and stereological methods were used for histological quantification of the leukocyte infiltration fractions and type I and type III collagen.

Quantitative histological evaluation revealed the following: (1) For all materials used, inflammation was present in the surrounding scleral tissue compared with healthy controls. However, leukocyte infiltration in the sclera was not statistically different between the materials. (2) As part of the evaluation of collagen, the greatest changes occurred in the PTFE fiber group at 2 weeks postoperatively. In the PTFE chain group, more significant changes were visible at 4 weeks. (3) The changes in the PPE fiber group compared to healthy scleral tissue were the least significant.

From a histological point of view, it is evident that there are differences in the quantitative parameters between the untouched sclera and the sclera with suture material. Furthermore, distinctions were observed among various materials and across different time intervals.