Bovine Enucleation

This week I had the opportunity to assist in the removal of an eye from a 1-week-old calf (Figures 1 and 2). The calf's right eye had been ruptured on a piece of straw and had contracted a severe infection (Figure 3). 

During the enucleation, the veterinarian blocked the nerves with lidocaine, severed the tissues between the globe and orbit, and then performed a tarsorrhaphy - a procedure where the eyelids are sutured together to close the open wound. Silver nanoparticle spray was then applied to the area to prevent infection: Silver is known to effectively kill pathogens without harming host cells (Santoro et al., 2009).