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Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility to induce lens epithelial cell death with intraoperative hyperthermia for prevention of secondary cataract. Methods: A prototype miniature resistive hyperthermia probe was designed. The probe contained a thermocouple for temperature feed-back. A timer allowed monitoring of the electrical driving of the hyperthermia probe and the temperature induced as a function of time. To model the heating response, a simple model of the lens capsule was constructed using a thin acrylic plastic shell embedded in a sponge immersed in a water bath at 37°C. The shell was filled with sodium hyaluronate. The probe was positioned at the center of the shell with the thermocouple next to the wall. An experimental protocol was developed to assess the feasibility of increasing the temperature of the human lens to hyperthermia levels in fresh cadaver eyes: An annular metal ring was bonded just below the limbus, the cornea and iris were sectioned, the lens material was removed through a central 5mm diameter capsulorhexis, the capsule was filled with SHA and the globe was set on a temperature-controlled cylindrical vial. Preliminary Results: At 3.3W (2.2V, 1.5A) the shell's content increases from 37°C to 51°C in 30s. At that temperature, LEC death is expected to occur within 1sec. Conclusion: This preliminary study demonstrates the feasibility of increasing the temperature of the capsular bag to kill LECs by hyperthermia.
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