Research on intraoperative iris behavior in rabbits treated with tamsulosin and finasteride.

AIM The purpose of this study was to investigate intraoperative iris behavior during some phacoemulsification maneuvers in rabbits treated with tamsulosin or finasteride. MATERIAL AND METHOD An experimental study was conducted on 26 Metis male rabbits aged 1.5 - 2 years, body weight between 3.4 and 5.6 kg, divided into three groups: Group 1 - Control, 6 rabbits; Group 2 - tamsulosin, 10 rabbits; Group 3 - finasteride, 10 rabbits. Dose calculation was performed according to body surface area ratio man/rabbit, taking into account the median lethal dose LD50. Surgery study in rabbits was done over two days by the same specialist using an adapted protocol. He was not informed before or during surgeries which group the animal belonged to, the order being random with a quasi-uniform distribution. Valid results for a modified iris behavior were obtained from two steps of the procedure (cannula irrigation maneuver and irrigation-aspiration). The iris billowing was graded from 0 to 3, according to severity. RESULTS The risk of intraoperative iris billowing was higher in rabbits included in tamsulosin group [OR=8.33 (CI 95% 0.63-110.09)], but insignificant statistically compare with control group (p= 0.13). In rabbits treated with finasteride the risk of intraoperative iris billowing is increased compared with those without treatment [OR=11.6 (CI 95% 0.92-147.6)], but insignificant statistically (p= 0.11). CONCLUSION In our research, we showed an increased risk of intraoperative iris billowing in rabbits treated with finasteride, almost similar with those obtained in rabbits treated with tamsulosin. Further experimental or clinical studies to confirm the role of finasteride in the etiology of intraoperative floppy iris syndrome in humans are needed. Hippokratia 2015, 19 (1): 20-24.