Thermal cautery of the cornea for treatment of spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects in dogs and horses.

This research discusses the successful use of a thermal cautery technique to treat spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (also known as SCCEDs) in dogs and horses. The technique resulted in healed defects with minor scarring and an average healing time of 2.1 weeks in dogs and 1-2 weeks in horses.

Methods of Treatment

• The animals involved in the research were first sedated and a topical anesthetic was applied to their eyes.
• A handheld thermal cautery unit was used to create multiple small, superficial burns throughout the affected area.
• The cautery unit was used until the slightest contraction of collagen fibrils was observed.
• After the stromal bed of the defect was treated, a 1mm rim of epithelium around the denuded stroma was also subjected to thermal cautery.

Post-Surgical Care

• After the procedure, a contact lens was placed in the eyes of the dogs but not in the horses.
• Both dogs and horses were treated with broad-spectrum antimicrobial ophthalmic solutions to prevent infection.

Results

• The defects in all of the 11 eyes treated healed with minimal scarring.
• The average time required for healing in dogs was 2.1 weeks, with a range of 2 to 3 weeks.
• One horse had its defect healed in a week while the other required two weeks to heal completely.

Comparative Therapeutic Options

• The paper acknowledges the existence of other therapeutic options for treating SCCEDs, such as epithelial debridement and anterior stromal puncture, which have been shown to have a high rate of success.
• In cases where these less invasive procedures fail, the research suggests that thermal cautery could be a good alternative before resorting to more invasive procedures such as superficial keratectomy.