A MODIFIED PREPARATION TECHNIQUE FOR CLOSED-SYSTEM OCULAR SURGERY OF HUMAN EYES OBTAINED POSTMORTEM - AN IMPROVED RESEARCH AND TEACHING TOOL

Purpose: In addition to use for corneal transplantation, human autopsy eyes also are used for teaching and vision research. The valuable pos terior video technique of Miyake usually is done with an ''open-sky'' preparation. Closed-system surgery in postmortem eyes is difficult bec ause of postmortem decrease of corneal clarity and myosis. The authors have developed an improved preparation technique that allows closed-s ystem ocular surgery in human postmortem eyes. Method: The cornea is d ehydrated using a hyper osmolar (15%) dextran solution (Swinger-Kornme hl solution), which clarifies the cornea for several hours. The pupil is dilated mechanically by injecting dextran solution into the anterio r chamber, and the iris is fixated using formaldehyde (10%) and Karnov sky solution. Results and Conclusions: This technique can be used in a utopsy eyes up to 4 days postmortem without other fixation. Incision t echniques, capsulorhexis, phacoemulsification, and intraocular lens im plantation, as well as other surgical procedures such as glaucoma surg ery, transcleral fixation of posterior chamber lenses and vitrectomies , can be performed. Neodymium:YAG laser capsulectomies or other laser surgical procedures are also possible. This technique is not only exce llent for residency training and postgraduate wet laboratories, but is also a viable tool for research purposes.