SODIUM HYALURONATE AS A TOOL IN STRABISMUS SURGERY IN RABBITS

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The authors tested whether coating tissue wi th sodium hyaluronate (Na-HA) reduced postoperative adhesions and acce lerated the healing process in strabismus surgery. MATERIALS AND METHO DS: The surgical technique was tested during recession and resection o perations performed on 30 rabbits and was compared with the use of NaC l 0.9%. Clinical, biomicroscopic examinations were performed on postop erative days 1, 2, 7, and 30 and histopathologic examinations were per formed on postoperative days 2, 7, and 30. RESULTS: Clinically, there were no statistically significant differences between the study group and the control group. Also, there were no statistically significant d ifferences between the two groups for most of the histopathologic crit eria; however, new vessel formation was smaller with Na-HA than withou t it. Statistical significance was defined as P<.05. CONCLUSION: The a uthors found no significant positive effect of Na-HA on postoperative healing in rabbits.