Prolonged normothermic perfusion of the isolated bovine eye: initial results.

This paper describes initial results of experiments with a prolonged normothermic arterial perfusion of isolated bovine eyes. The eyes were perfused using oxygenated serum-free MEM. With respect to utilization of oxygen and use of glucose, viability could be proven for 5 days. After addition of some essential serum substitutes, viability could be extended to 9 days, moreover, doubled glucose utilization and decreasing LDH activity could also be measured. To prolong and improve viability, much attention should be paid to oxygenation and composition of the perfusate.