Treatment of spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCEDs) with diamond burr debridement vs combination diamond burr debridement and superficial grid keratotomy.

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of diamond burr debridement (DBD) vs a combination of diamond burr debridement with superficial grid keratotomy (DBD+SGK) for the treatment of spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCEDs) in dogs. Medical records of dogs diagnosed with SCCEDs from three different institutions that received a DBD or DBD+SGK between 2003 and 2015 were reviewed. Age, breed, sex, history of a previous SCCED, procedures performed, time to healing, and complications were statistically analyzed. One hundred and ninety-four dogs met the inclusion criteria. Eighty-two of 106 eyes (77.4%) received a DBD and healed following the first treatment (13.3±4.9days to recheck, range 2-27). Sixty-eight of 88 eyes (77.3%) received a DBD+SGK and healed following the first treatment (15.4±5.0days to recheck, range 5-45). No significant difference in healing outcome was found between the two treatments (P=1). For SCCEDs that healed after a single treatment (n=150), complications occurred in 13.3% (n=20) of eyes with no difference in complications between the DBD and DBD+SGK groups (P=.86). Thirty-five of 44 eyes (80.0%) healed after the second treatment (16±8.2days from second treatment to third visit, range 5-47); nine of 44 eyes (20.0%) were not healed (12±6.2days from second treatment to third visit, range 5-25). The second treatment method did not influence healing rates (P=.64). DBD and DBD+SGK are equally effective treatment methods for canine SCCEDs. No differences in complication rates after one treatment were observed between DBD and DBD+SGK.