각막신생혈관에 대한 버테포르핀을 이용한 광역학치료의 동물실험

Animal Study of Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin in Corneal Neovascularization

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin (Visudyne?, Norvatis Ophthalmics AG, Hettingen, Switzerland), a benzoporphyrin derivative, in the treatment of corneal neo- vascularization (CN) in a rabbit eye model. Methods: CN was induced by placing instrastromal sutures in the cornea. Two weeks after suturing, verteporfin was administrated intravenously and 1 hour later, the right eye (treated group) was exposed to a laser with a 689 nm wavelength, and the left eye was used as the control. The changes in CN were analyzed using biomicroscopy and optical microscopy in twelve rabbits. Results: The mean percentages of the neovascular area in the control and treated groups were 96.4±1.9% and 90.3±3.5% (P=0.009) at three days after the PDT, 88.6±4.6% and 71.6±6.2% (P<0.001) at one week, and 76.8±4.4%와 43.6±15.1% (P<0.001) at two weeks, respectively. Optical microscopy showed significant differences between the control and treated group in terms of the area and number of CN (P<0.05). Conclusions: PDT with verteporfin is a safe and effective procedure for regressing CN. However, a further study will be necessary.