[Intascleral silicone prosthesis in the dog: a retrospective study of 22 cases]

Over a period of five years 28 dog eyes were treated by evisceration and implantation of an intrascleral silicone prosthesis. During an average follow-up period of 2.93 years the only complication noted was a mild entropion in one case. The majority of dog owners were satisfied with the cosmetic result. All of them would again opt for this procedure and prefer it to an enucleation. The postoperative management was well tolerated by both animals and owners. After careful preoperative work-up and ruling-out of intraocular neoplasms, evisceration/prosthesis is a simple and practical method to salvage buphthalmic eyes and globes with beginning phthisis bulbi. Intraocular tumors and septic endophthalmitis are the two principal contraindications. In addition, eyes with deep or even perforated corneal ulcers should not be fitted with an intrascleral prosthesis.