Prevention of Ocular Tenon Adhesion to Sclera by a PDMAA Polymer to Improve Results after Glaucoma Surgery

Abstract

The authors describe a process that may eventually reduce the risk of scar formation after glaucoma surgery. For this, a thin hydrogel coating is photochemically generated and linked to the sclera surface at the surgical site. This coating is generated from a photoreactive prepolymer containing anthraquinone groups, which is administered as a thin pad to the sclera surface. Short UV irradiation leads to a reaction of the photogroups with neighboring chains via C–H insertion crosslinking, thus transforming the precursor polymer into a hydrogel. Simultaneously, a reaction between the photogroups and the underlying sclera tissue occurs, so that the hydrogel patch becomes covalently linked to the tissue. The authors show that the resulting thin coating is strongly cell repellent and hinders tenon fibroblasts to form tenon tissue at the site of the coating and is suitable for inclusion into a surgical procedure.