Table 1.

Experimental results of the insertion of various polymers into the corneal stroma and the implantation of S-KPro with each polymer in rabbits

		Experimental material (commercial name)
	PP (Q2030NW)	PE 70 (C307NW)	PE 50 (K205NW)	PU
Mean grade of vascularisation (3 weeks)	+3.5	+2.5	+3.75	+4
Mean grade of vascularisation (2 months)	+4	+4	+4	+4
Mean grade of corneal oedema (3 weeks)	+0.5	+0.5	+1	+1
Mean grade of corneal oedema (2 months)	+0.25	+0	+0.5	+0.5
Mean grade of corneal oedema (5 months)	0	0	0	0
Mean No of inflammatory cells (2 months)*	55 (19.6)	33 (13.1)	28 (25.5)	30.7 (5.8)
Mean No of fibroblasts (2 months)†	46.4 (12.0)	16 (5.3)	34.2 (6.5)	23.2 (13.4)
Grade of M-T staining (2 months)	2+	1+	2+	1+
Grade of vimentin staining (2 months)	2+	1+	2+	1+
Mean No of inflammatory cells (5 months)	8.7 (1.9)	NA	5.6 (2.6)	8.4 (3.2)
Mean No of fibroblasts (5 months)‡	102.1 (27.9)	NA	87.7 (22.2)	65.4 (28.3)
Grade of M-T staining (5 months)	2+	NA	2+	1+
Grade of vimentin staining (5 months)	2+	NA	2+	1+
Mean retention time of S-KPro (weeks)	20.7	18	14	15
No of eyes with anterior flap melting after S-KPro implantation	0	3	0	1

PP = polypropylene, PE70 = polyethylene terephthalate whose basis weight is 70 g/m², PE50 = polyethylene terephthalate whose basis weight is 50 g/m², PU = polyurethane, 3 weeks; 3 weeks after intrastromal insertion, 2 months = 2 months after intrastromal insertion, 5 months = 5 months after intrastromal insertion, No = number, M-T = Masson-Trichrome staining. Standard deviations given in parentheses

*It was statistically different between in polypropylene and in polyurethane (Mann-Whitney U test, p<0.05).

†It showed statistically significant increase in polypropylene and in PE50 compared with PE70 (Mann-Whitney U test, p<0.05).

‡It increased significantly in polypropylene and PE50 compared with polyurethane (Mann-Whitney U test, p<0.05).