The formation of eyeball musculoskeletal stump using a Ni-Ti implant in vivo

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of forming an eyeball musculoskeletal stump using a Ni-Ti implant in vivo. Studies were performed on 18 Wistar rats. The animals were enucleated one of eyes. After the enucleation the musculoskeletal stump using Ni-Ti implant was formed. Ni-Ti implant was made from a thread of porous Ni-Ti (TN-10) with a thickness of 100 [mu]m. Before implantation the Ni-Ti implant was sterilized by ethylene oxide. Results showed that the Ni-Ti implant surface was uniform and had not visible defects. The NiTi implant surface was a hydrophobic with the mean value of [theta]=93.5°±1.4. The Ni-Ti implant in the eye orbit was mobile. The Ni-Ti implantation into the eye orbit contributed the connective tissue with blood vessels formation and insignificant leucocytes infiltration (macrophages and lymphocytes infiltration). The study showed the possibility of forming an eyeball musculoskeletal stump using a Ni-Ti implant.