40 / 52
38
Mei/May 2015
vet
nuus
•
news
A
plethora of treat
ments are available
for these ulcers.
These include
epithelial debride
ment, needle stro
mal puncture, or grid and superficial
keratectomy. Amongst these
surgical treatments the diamond
burr debridement (DBD) has been
widely advocated in the treatment of
recurrent erosions in people and
may be considered as an alternative
therapy for recurrent non-healing
ulcers in animals.
DBD has several advantages in that
it produces no scarring in the cornea
and may be safer than needle stro
mal puncture. It is also a procedure
that can be performed under local
anaesthesia. Like epithelial debride
ment and stromal puncture, DBD is
easily repeated in patients that have
not healed after a single procedure.
Based on results of a recent study of
36 dogs with non-healing ulcers, DBD
with placement of a bandage contact
lens (BCL), may be a safe and effec
tive treatment of canine superficial
chronic corneal erosions and may be
associated with a faster healing time
compared to a grid keratotomy.
v
COLUMN
E
ye
Treatment of
non-healing corneal
ulcers with diamond
burr debridement
Spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects
have been well described in the dog.
In affected patients, these corneal defects
are characterized by varying degrees
of blepharospasm, corneal ulcers
with non-adherent epithelial
margins and prolonged
wound healing.
Dr Antony Goodhead, Dr Izak Venter & Dr Lo-An Odayar
Specialist Veterinary Ophthalmologists, Johannesburg Animal Eye Hospital
(www.animaleyehospital.co.za)
Regulars
I
Eye column
Fig 1. Chronic non healing superficial
ulcer with a loose epithelial rim
(Equine eye)
Fig 2. Diamond burr used for corneal
epithelial debridement