Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using pig intestinal tissue to repair deep cornea damage in cats
By Luo, JingWen & Zhou, ZhenLei·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2025·The Department of Clinical Sciences, China·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Application of multi-layer porcine small intestinal submucosa for the reconstruction of deep corneal defects in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 cats with serious eye problems, including deep corneal ulcers and perforations, underwent surgery using a special graft made from pig intestine to help repair their corneas. After the surgery, most cats showed improvement, with the graft healing within about 22 days. While 85% of the cats had successful outcomes, some experienced complications like fluid leakage or other issues. Overall, this treatment appears to be a promising option for cats with deep corneal defects.
People also search for: cat eye problems treatment · corneal ulcer in cats · cat surgery recovery time
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study documented the application of porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) as a stand-alone scaffold for treating deep corneal defects in cats. METHODS: Medical records of 20 cats with deep stromal ulcers, perforations, or corneal sequestra that underwent surgical treatment with SIS grafts between 2021 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Data on re-epithelialization time, corneal transparency score, and complications were collected to analyze the reconstruction of deep corneal defects after SIS biomaterial implantation. RESULTS: All cats were unilaterally affected. The corneal defects varied in size, with a median diameter of 8.3 mm (range: 3-15 mm). Re-epithelialization of the SIS graft was completed 16-32 days after surgery (median, 22.3 days). No, mild, or moderate corneal transparency was detected in 90% of the cases. Complications were observed in eight cases (40%), including aqueous leakage (10%), partial SIS malacia (25%), and persistent bullous keratopathy (5%). The follow-up period ranged 90-725 days, with a median duration of 255 days. The SIS graft was successfully applied as a single scaffold in 17 of 20 cases (85%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the application of commercial SIS is an effective surgical technique for managing deep corneal defects in cats.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38413368/