Evaluation of the Therapeutic Efficacy of Lamellar Keratoconjunctival Transplantation in Treating Corneal Ulcers in Rabbits

Corneal ulcer exhibits an extremely high incidence in the field of rabbit ophthalmic diseases and stands as one of the crucial blinding eye conditions leading to blindness in rabbits. The occurrence of severe complications, such as corneal perforation, can inflict severe damage on the visual function of rabbits, resulting in a rapid decline in their vision and even causing blindness.For deep-seated corneal ulcers or refractory corneal ulcers that persist and cannot be effectively controlled despite standardized drug therapy, surgical intervention has become an indispensable treatment approach. Lamellar keratoconjunctival transplantation, as a highly significant ocular surface reconstruction surgery, plays an irreplaceable role in restoring the normal structure and function of the rabbit's eye.This study aimed to systematically evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of lamellar keratoconjunctival transplantation in treating corneal ulcers in rabbits. Twenty-four rabbits underwent corneal burns to establish ulcer models. After three days, rabbits were randomly divided into three treatment groups (n = 8 each): Group A received conservative medical treatment, Group B underwent conjunctival flap transplantation, and Group C underwent lamellar keratoconjunctival transplantation. Postoperatively, corneal transparency, edema, and epithelial healing at the ulcer sites were regularly evaluated. Histopathological observations of corneal tissues and measurements of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) were also conducted. Results indicated that the lamellar keratoconjunctival transplantation group (Group C) showed superior outcomes compared to the other two groups in terms of improved corneal transparency, reduced edema, enhanced epithelial healing, and favorable histopathological features. No significant differences were observed among the three groups in serum levels of IL-6 and TGF-β1. These findings suggest that lamellar keratoconjunctival transplantation is effective in supporting damaged corneas and promoting tissue regeneration, providing a promising method and alternative approach for the clinical management of corneal ulcers in rabbits and potentially in veterinary ophthalmology practice.