Use of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) skin as a graft for corneal repair in dogs: Review

Abstract

Corneal ulcer is one of the most recurrent pathologies when it comes to veterinary ophthalmology, and several factors can contribute to its occurrence. It consists of the rupture of the epithelial membrane along with the appearance of the stroma, and causes are usually related to inflammations and lesions of the corneal layers. For an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to carry out the fluorescein staining test, in addition to the complete Anamnesis and ophthalmological examination. The use of tilapia skin as a graft is currently under research and being utilized mainly in the repair of burns in humans, and results were successful. Tilapia skin has an epidermis covered by a stratified paved epithelium and extensive layers of collagen; its use has been bringing promising results, including in Veterinary Medicine. This article seeks to conduct a literature review of the results obtained from tilapia skin grafting in corneal repair surgical intervention in dogs.