RESUMO
BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety of different doses of subconjunctival cetuximab in rabbits. METHODS: After general anesthesia rabbits received a subconjunctival injection of 2.5 mg in 0.5 ml, 5 mg in 1 ml, and 10 mg in 2 ml of cetuximab in their right eyes (two rabbits in each group). A similar volume of normal saline solution was injected subconjunctivally in the left eyes. The histopathologic changes were evaluated after enucleation with the aid of H&E staining. RESULTS: No significant difference were observed between the treated and control eyes in terms of conjunctival inflammation, goblet cell density, or limbal blood vessel density for all administered doses of cetuximab. CONCLUSION: Subconjunctival injection of cetuximab with the administrated doses in rabbit eyes are safe.