AIM: To investigate the ocular acute toxicity of sufentanil in rabbits, in order to provide the scientific basis for its safe administration and reasonable combination.

METHODS: Sixteen healthy rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups(groups 1-4), control(vehicle), low(5μg, 2 drops in 5min), moderate(7.5μg, 3 drops in 10min)and high doses(10μg, 4 drops in 15min)of sufentanil-treated groups. Solvent without sufentanil was administered to the left eyes in the vehicle control group(group 1). Meanwhile, 9g/L NaCl solutions were given to the right eyes in all 4 groups at equal drip rate for auto-control. After 7d, ocular toxicity was firstly evaluated.

RESULTS: Observed with naked eye and slit lamp, no changes including corneal opacity, conjunctival congestion, chemosis, eye secretions, iris abnormalities and temporal eye closed was in all groups. With slit-lamp microscope, the counts of corneal endothelium cells in all groups have no statistically significant difference. With light microscope, no pathomorphological injury in the conjunctiva, cornea, corneoscleral junction, iris, ciliary body, retina and optic nerve were found.

CONCLUSION: The ophthalmic application of sufentanil alone(5-10μg)for sedation and analgesia is safe in a short period.