Abstract
Silicones are widely used in medical applications. In ophthalmology, glaucoma drainage devices are utilized if conservative therapies are not applicable or have failed. Long-term success of these devices is limited by failure to control intraocular pressure due to fibrous encapsulation. Therefore, different medical approved silicones were tested in vitro for cell adhesion, cell proliferation and viability of human Sclera (hSF) and human Tenon fibroblasts (hTF). The silicones were analysed also depending on the sample preparation according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The surface quality was characterized with environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and water contact angle measurements. All silicones showed homogeneous smooth and hydrophobic surfaces. Cell adhesion was significantly reduced on all silicones compared to the negative control. Proliferation index and cell viability were not influenced much. For development of a new glaucoma drainage device, the silicones Silbione LSR 4330 and Silbione LSR 4350, in this study, with low cell counts for hTF and low proliferation indices for hSF, and silicone Silastic MDX4-4210, with low cell counts for hSF and low proliferation indices for hTF, have shown the best results in vitro. Due to the high cell adhesion shown on Silicone LSR 40, 40,026, this material is unsuitable.
Highlights
Silicones are widely used in medical applications, such as extracorporeal equipment in kidney dialyses, contact lenses, finger and foot joints, catheters, drains, shunts, breast implants, tubing, heart valves, ophthalmological implants [1], and as drug delivery systems [2]
This study focused on silicones as material for glaucoma drainage implants
The water contact angle of the silicones was greater than 100 degrees on each silicone, and the surfaces were hydrophobic (Table 1)
Summary
Silicones are widely used in medical applications, such as extracorporeal equipment in kidney dialyses, contact lenses, finger and foot joints, catheters, drains, shunts, breast implants, tubing, heart valves, ophthalmological implants [1], and as drug delivery systems [2]. It is well known that wettability influences the cell adhesion of materials, and biocompatibility relating thereto [7,8]. This antiadhesive property is discussed as being a problem of the biocompatibility of breast implants [9], but is required by other implants [10]
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