NIH scientists develop new surgical technique for grafting tissue in the retina

(Image credit: ©Olga/AdobeStock)

National Institute of Health (NIH) scientists have developed a new surgical technique for implanting multiple tissue grafts in the eye’s retina.¹ The new approach may help advance treatment options for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD, a leading cause of vision loss among older Americans, is a disease in which the light-sensitive retina tissue at the back of the eye degenerates. Using patient-derived stem cells, researchers have been testing therapies for restoring damaged retinas with lab-grown grafts of tissue.

The new surgical technique incorporates a new surgical clamp that maintains eye pressure during the insertion of 2 tissue patches in immediate succession, while minimizing damage to the surrounding tissue. Up until this new research, surgeons have only been able to place 1 graft in the retina, which limits patients' treatment areas.

Scientists used this new technique in animal models to compare 2 different grafts placed sequentially in the same experimentally induced AMD-like lesion. One graft consisted of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells grown on a biodegradable scaffold, while the second graft consisted of just the biodegradable scaffold to serve as the control.

Using artificial intelligence to analyze retinal images post surgery and compare each graft, scientists observed that the RPE grafts promoted the survival of photoreceptors, whereas photoreceptors near the scaffold-only grafts died at a much higher rate. Another finding was confirmation for the first time that the RPE graft also regenerated the choriocapillaris, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the retina.

Reference

1. NIH scientists test in an animal model a surgical technique to improve cell therapy for dry AMD. News release. NIH. May 22, 2025. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-scientists-test-animal-model-surgical-technique-improve-cell-therapy-dry-amd