Measurement of oxygen tension in the human vitreous space
Sakaue, H.; Tsukahare, Y.; Negi, A.; Ogino, N.; Honda, H.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi 91(11): 977-981
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-0203 PMID: 3445840 Document Number: 303557
The oxygen tension of the vitreous humor and retina have already been reported in animals, but no such report concerning human eyes has been made. We measured them during vitreous surgery using a polarographic oxygen electrode in 10 cases. A platinum electrode with a tip diameter of 100 .mu.m was advanced from the scleral slit of the pars plana vitreous port under an operating microsocpe. The oxygen tensions were 16.6.+-. 4.1 mmHg (n = 9) in the anterior peripheral vitreous space, 16.3 .+-. 3.4 mmHg (n = 9) in the central vitreous space, and 19.9 .+-. 4.8 mmHg (n = 8) in the posterior vitreous space anterior to the disc. The oxygen tensions of detached retinas were 30.0 .+-. 4.8 mmHg (n = 5), and increased to 35.0 mmHg on inhalation of 100% oxygen (2L/min). After oxygen inhalation, the oxygen tension in the subretinal space also increased from 22.5 mmHg to 66 mmHg, and that on the retinal scar by cryoretinopexy rose remarkably to 160 mmHg compared with that in front of the intact retinal surface. Observations showed that oxygen tensions in the vitreous space of the human eye are basically similar to experimental findings in animals.