Effects of the Bovine Amniotic Membrane on Corneal Healing with Acute Alkali Burns in Rabbits

The Bovine Amniotic Membrane (BAM) was transplanted on the right cornea of 8 adult rabbits after an alkali burn was created with 2.5 N NaOH. Density and area of the corneal opacity, area of the corneal epithelial defect, vascularization and complications were clinically evaluated. Left corneas of the same animals were used as active control group. At the end of the experiment, all the eyes were extirpated and histologically examined on light microscopy. BAM has decreased density and area of the corneal opacity and increased reepithelialisation, but promoted episcleral vasodilatation more prominently in clinical examination. Histologically; the distrubition of Polymorphonuclear (PMN) leucocytes, corneal thicknesses, edema, keratinization, neovascularization and inflammation were significantly reduced by BAM compared to active control group. BAM was highly found to be effective to restore the corneal surface with acute alkali burns in the rabbit.