Functionalized smart surfaces to control the wound healing after glaucoma's surgery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Ophthalmology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Glaucoma treatment often relies on eye drops with poor compliance or surgical interventions like drainage device implantation.
• Post-surgical scarring is a major cause of glaucoma drainage device failure, reducing long-term success rates.
• Localized, time-controlled antifibrotic drug delivery is crucial for improving surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a nanostructured film for controlled release of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) to modulate post-operative scarring.
• To investigate the drug release kinetics of 5-FU from films fabricated on different substrates.
• To evaluate the potential of polymeric materials in advanced drug delivery systems for ophthalmic applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of nanostructured films using the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique on quartz and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrates.
• Encapsulation of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) within β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) to enhance solubility and reduce toxicity.
• Monitoring of film growth and drug release kinetics using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of nanostructured films capable of releasing precise doses of 5-FU at defined intervals.
• Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrates demonstrated significantly more sustained and prolonged drug release compared to quartz.
• UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed effective monitoring of film growth and drug release profiles.

Conclusions:

• The developed nanostructured film system shows potential for controlled, localized delivery of antifibrotic agents to prevent post-surgical scarring.
• Polymeric substrates like PMMA are advantageous for creating sustained drug release profiles in ophthalmic drug delivery systems.
• This approach offers a promising strategy to enhance the long-term success of glaucoma surgical interventions.