Ketamine/Xylazine-Induced Corneal Damage in Mice

Demelza Koehn; Kacie J Meyer; Nasreen A Syed; Michael G Anderson

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0132804

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Ketamine/Xylazine-Induced Corneal Damage in Mice

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Ketamine/Xylazine-Induced Corneal Damage in Mice

Demelza Koehn, Kacie J Meyer, Nasreen A Syed and Michael G Anderson

PloS one, Vol.10(7), e0132804

2015

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132804

PMCID: PMC4519051

PMID: 26222692

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Abstract

We have observed that the commonly used ketamine/xylazine anesthesia mix can induce a focally severe and permanent corneal opacity. The purpose of this study was to establish the clinical and histological features of this deleterious side effect, its sensitivity with respect to age and anesthesia protocol, and approaches for avoiding it. Young C57BL/6J, C57BLKS/J, and SJL/J mice were treated with permutations of anesthesia protocols and compared using slit-lamp exams, optical coherence tomography, histologic analyses, and telemetric measurements of body temperature. Ketamine/xylazine induces corneal damage in mice with a variable frequency. Among 12 experimental cohorts, corneal damage associated with ketamine/xylazine was observed in 9 of them. Despite various treatments to avoid corneal dehydration during anesthesia, the frequency of corneas experiencing damage among responding cohorts was 42% (26% inclusive of all cohorts), which is significantly greater than the natural prevalence (5%). The damage was consistent with band keratopathy. It appeared as a white or gray horizontal band located proximal to the pupil and was positive for subepithelial calcium deposition with von Kossa stain. The sum of our clinical and histological observations is consistent with ketamine/xylazine-induced band keratopathy in mice. This finding is relevant for mouse studies involving the eye and/or vision-dependent behavioral assays, which would both be prone to artifact without appreciation of the damage caused by ketamine/xylazine anesthesia. Use of yohimbine is suggested as a practical means of avoiding this complication.

Cornea - metabolism

Ketamine - adverse effects

Animals

Corneal Opacity - chemically induced

Corneal Opacity - pathology

Xylazine - pharmacology

Corneal Opacity - metabolism

Anesthesia - adverse effects

Cornea - pathology

Mice

Xylazine - adverse effects

Ketamine - pharmacology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Ketamine/Xylazine-Induced Corneal Damage in Mice
Creators: Demelza Koehn - Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
Kacie J Meyer - University of Iowa, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Nasreen A Syed - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Michael G Anderson - University of Iowa, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: PloS one, Vol.10(7), e0132804
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132804
PMID: 26222692
PMCID: PMC4519051
NLM abbreviation: PLoS One
ISSN: 1932-6203
eISSN: 1932-6203
Publisher: United States
Grant note: EY017673 / NEI NIH HHS F32 EY021436 / NEI NIH HHS EY021436 / NEI NIH HHS EY018825 / NEI NIH HHS R01 EY017673 / NEI NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 2015
Academic Unit: Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Pathology; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Record Identifier: 9983980089202771

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