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Colored perfluorocarbon liquids as novel intraoperative tools

  • Retinal Disorders
  • Published:
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Abstract

Background

Perfluorocarbon liquids (PFCLs) are used as intraoperative tools to stabilize the retina during vitreoretinal surgeries. Their use would be much facilitated if PFCLs were colored and not transparent. We describe the development of a colored PFCL for vitreoretinal surgeries.

Methods

Perfluorohexyloctan (F6H8) was colored by adding a blue, biocompatible anthraquinone dye, and then mixed with perfluorodecalin (PFD) or perfluorooctane (PFO) at different volume percentages. The thus-obtained colored PFCLs were incubated with lens, lens capsule, vitreous body, and retina of enucleated porcine eyes for staining purpose and analyzed microscopically. To analyze possible interactions between colored PFCLs and silicone oil, colored PFCLs were exchanged to BSS and silicone oil respectively in enucleated pig eyes.

Results

By mixing different volume% of colored F6H8 with perfluorodecalin (PFD) or perfluorooctane (PFO), colored PFCLs of different density and staining intensity were obtained. Cornea, lens, lens capsule, vitreous, and retina showed no signs of staining after incubation with colored PFCLs for 10 min. Colored PFCLs were transparent despite intense coloring, thus allowing a clear visibility of the underlying tissue. Immediately after instillation of silicone oil, the colored PFCL bubble was well-defined, and colored PFCL was easily aspirated. After 5 minutes reaction time, considerable diffusion of the dye from the PFCL bubble into the silicone oil was observed.

Conclusions

The staining intensity can be varied according to the volume% of the colored F6H8 phase. Colored PFCL is clearly visible when installed in the vitreous cavity of a pig eye, and can easily be removed. It does not stain the intraocular tissues in pig eyes. Colored PFCL can be exchanged with silicone oil. But a time-dependent diffusion of the dye into the silicone oil was observed in pig eyes, indicating that the contact should be limited.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Azienda Ospedaliero–Universitaria Pisana-Cisanello, Eye Surgery Clinic, Via Paradisa 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy

    Stanislao Rizzo, Claudia Belting & Federica Genovesi-Ebert

  2. Fluoron GmbH, Magirus-Deutz-Str. 10, 89077, Ulm, Germany

    Nadine Hagedorn

  3. Via Diaz 86, 55100, Lucca, Italy

    Stanislao Rizzo

Authors
  1. Stanislao Rizzo
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  2. Claudia Belting
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  3. Federica Genovesi-Ebert
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  4. Nadine Hagedorn
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stanislao Rizzo.

Additional information

This article is original, and has not been published previously. The authors Rizzo, Belting, and Genovesi-Ebert have no commercial or financial interest related to this publication. Nadine Hagedorn is an employee of Fluoron GmbH. The authors transfer all copyright to the publisher upon acceptance. The authors have full control of all primary data, and they agree to allow Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology to review their data upon request.

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Rizzo, S., Belting, C., Genovesi-Ebert, F. et al. Colored perfluorocarbon liquids as novel intraoperative tools. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 250, 653–659 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-011-1874-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-011-1874-7

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