Clinical results of fornix-based trabeculectomy with a scleral tunnel

PURPOSE: To evaluate retrospectivery the efficacy and safety of fornix-based trabeculectomy with a scleral tunnel. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied the records of 204 eyes of 156 patients who underwent fornix-based trabeculectomy with mitomycin C as their primary surgery between 2000 and 2002 and had a follow-up period of 6 months or more. A 3.5 or 4 mm rectangular double scleral flap incision was made and a scleral tunnel was fashioned by removing the second flap to allow the aqueous to flow into the fornix side. RESULTS: The mean intraocular pressure was significantly decreased from 22.2 +/- 7.8 (mean +/- standard deviation) mmHg to 12.4 +/- 3.9 mmHg 2 years after surgery (p < 0.0001). When the target pressure was defined as 15 mmHg, the 2-year survival rate using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was 69.1 %. Early wound leakages occurred in 16 eyes (7.8%) and additional sutures were needed on 13 eyes. The visual acuity of 22 eyes (11.0%) decreased by at least 2 lines. CONCLUSION: Although there are some complications specific to trabeculectomy, fornix-based trabeculectomy with a scleral tunnel appears to be an effective method of decreasing intraocular pressure.     

抗青光眼滤过术后患者白内障超声乳化吸除及人工晶状体植入术

目的：探讨抗青光眼滤过术后白内障患者进行白内障超声乳化吸除及人工晶状体植入术的手术切口选择和临床效果。方法：32例（41只眼）青光眼滤过术后的白内障患者,采用上方透明角膜隧道切口和避开滤过泡的巩膜隧道切口行白内障超声乳化吸除,植入折叠式人工晶状体24只眼,硬性人工晶状体17只眼。结果：全部白内障术后病例视力有不同程度的提高,视力≥0．5者达75．6％。采用透明角膜隧道切口和巩膜隧道切口术后患者的眼压和滤过泡改变无差异性,术后随访平均5个月,平均眼压较术前增加1．59mmHg(1mmHg=0.133kPa),差异无显著性。结论：对抗青光眼滤过术后白内障患者,采用透明角膜和巩膜隧道切口行白内障超声乳化吸除及人工晶状体植入术,可提高视力,同时可保持原有的滤过功能。     

Surgical results of bleb revision with scleral patch graft for late-onset bleb complications.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To describe the results of bleb revision with scleral patch graft for late-onset bleb-related complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective case series between October 1996 and March 2003. RESULTS: Fourteen patients had surgery for bleb leak, hypotonous maculopathy, dysesthesia, or bleb-associated infections after initial trabeculectomy or thermal sclerostomy. The preoperative intraocular pressure was 3.3 +/- 2.6 mm Hg, and the final intraocular pressure was 11.6 +/- 3.4 mm Hg after 10.1 +/- 6.8 months. Seven eyes required no further bleb revision or glaucoma medications. Visual acuity improved in 10 of 14 eyes. A second scleral patch graft revision was necessary in 3 eyes, but bleb leaks and hypotony resolved in all 14 eyes at last follow-up. Complications included bleb failure, bullous keratopathy progression, cataract progression, and ptosis. CONCLUSION: Bleb revision with scleral patch graft is effective for treating late-onset bleb complications, resulting in improvement in visual acuity and resolution of hypotonous maculopathy, bleb leaks, and dysesthesia.     

小梁切除联合巩膜瓣下羊膜植入治疗难治性青光眼

目的观察小梁切除术联合巩膜瓣下羊膜植入治疗难治性青光眼的疗效。方法对28例（35眼）难治性青光眼患者行小梁切除联合巩膜瓣下羊膜植入,观察术后滤过泡的形成、眼压变化、手术成功率和并发症的发生率。结果术后随访12～24个月。滤过泡形成情况：I型滤过泡21眼．Ⅱ型滤过泡9眼,Ⅲ型滤过泡2眼和Ⅳ型滤过泡3眼;其中,功能型滤过泡占85．7％（30／35）,非功能型滤过泡占14．3％（5／35）。眼压情况：术后第3个月,平均眼压（13．1±2．6）mmHg;术后第12个月,平均眼压（15．4±3．1）mmHg。手术总有效率为94．3％（33／35）,主要并发症为前房渗出性反应5眼,前房有少量积血1眼（为新生血管性青光眼）,均在1周内消退。结论小梁切除联合巩膜瓣下羊膜植入术能有效提高难治性青光眼的手术成功率。     

结膜松解切口与前移修复晚期滤过泡渗漏

目的评价结膜松解切口与前移修复晚期滤过泡渗漏的效果。方法对19只眼小梁切除术后晚期滤过泡渗漏进行前瞻性连续病例研究。17例（19只眼）术后晚期出现滤过泡渗漏,且伴有浅前房及低眼压。结果17眼滤过泡修复术后2％荧光素Seidel试验检查滤过泡处无房水渗漏且滤过泡功能良好。修复术前平均眼压为（8．06±3．9）mmHg,术后平均眼压为（16．6±2．5）mmHg（1mmHg=0．133kPa）,（t=23．17,P〈0．001）。术后随访15～18月,17跟（89．5％）获得大体成功,14只眼（73．7％）为完全成功。2只眼（10．5％）失败。术后未出现严重的浅前房、低眼压。3只眼需要继续应用降眼压药物,2只眼因滤过泡处渗漏需再次手术。结论结膜松解切口与前移修复晚期滤过泡渗漏是安全有效的。     

Results of medical management and mitomycin C-augmented excisional bleb revision for encapsulated filtering blebs

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome of medical management and mitomycin C (MMC)-augmented excisional bleb revision (EBR) for encapsulated filtering blebs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The author conducted a retrospective study of 503 patients who had undergone trabeculectomy performed over a 5 year period, followed up for at least one year, in order to identify the encapsulated filtering blebs. Mitomycin C-augmented (0.4mg/ml for 3 minutes) EBR was performed in cases of failed medical therapy for managing encapsulated blebs consisting of antiglaucoma medications, topical steroids, and digital compression. RESULTS: An encapsulated bleb developed in 18 eyes (3.6%) of 503 patients. Identification of bleb encapsulation occurred at a mean follow-up time of 24.2 +/- 10.4 days after surgery. The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) at that point was 30.4 +/- 11.7 mmHg in the affected eyes. Fifteen (83.3%) of 18 eyes responded to conservative management and 3 eyes (16.7%) required MMC augmented EBR. The mean IOP reduced from 30.4 +/- 11.7 mmHg to 14.2 +/- 4.2 mmHg after a mean follow-up of 37.6 +/- 11.4 months in the conservative management group, while it reduced from 37.3 +/- 23.4 mmHg to 12.0 +/- 4.4 mmHg after a mean follow-up of 42 +/- 6 months in the surgically treated group. None of the surgically treated eyes developed MMC-related complications. CONCLUSION: Conservative management is very effective in the treatment of encapsulated filtering blebs. The intraoperative use of MMC is a safe and effective adjunct in EBR in cases where conservative management has failed.     

Fornix-based versus limbal-based conjunctival flaps in initial trabeculectomy with postoperative 5-fluorouracil: four-year follow-up findings

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fornix-based conjunctival flap versus limbal-based flap in initial trabeculectomy with postoperative 5-fluorouracil. METHODS: 29 patients (58 eyes) with bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) were included in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to have a fornix-based conjunctival flap in one eye and a limbal-based flap in the other, followed by subconjunctival injection of 5-fluorouracil. RESULTS: Mean intraocular pressure (IOP) 2 years after treatment was 12.9 +/- 12.25 mmHg in eyes with fornix-based conjunctival flaps and 13.1 +/- 16.81 mmHg in eyes with limbal-based conjunctival flaps. At 4 years, mean IOP was 14.7 +/- 9.61 mmHg in eyes with fornix-based conjunctival flaps and 15.1 +/- 7.29 mmHg in eyes with limbal-based conjunctival flaps. Cumulative success at 4 years (IOP < 21 mmHg) was 89.6% in eyes with fornix-based conjunctival flaps versus 86.2% in eyes with limbal-based conjunctival flaps with medications. Cystic leaking blebs occurred in two cases, both with limbal-based flaps. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of limbal- and fornix-based conjunctival flaps in initial trabeculectomy with postoperative 5-fluorouracil was not significantly different; however, in this study cystic leaking blebs were encountered only in eyes with limbal-based conjunctival flaps.     

Filtering bleb revision. Techniques and outcome

BACKGROUND: The surgical management and outcome of bleb-related complications such as leaking blebs,overfiltration and blebitis are reported. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out of 35 patients who underwent surgical repair of the filtering bleb in our hospital between 1991 and 2000. RESULTS: Surgical techniques used were autologous blood injection, fibrin glue injection, conjunctival suturing, resuturing of the trabeculectomy flap, bleb excision, conjunctival advancement, lyodura and tenon patching. In the eyes with leaking blebs the mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 11.6+/-10.3 mmHg.After an average followup of 12 months the IOP was 11.9+/-3.3 mmHg. In the eyes with overfiltration the mean IOP was 2.4+/-1.5 mmHg and after an average follow-up of 18 months the mean IOP increased to 13.5+/-3.7 mmHg. In 77.1% the IOP was regulated between 8 and 21 mmHg without glaucoma medication. Mean visual acuity improved by 3.6+/-5.9 lines postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Surgical bleb revision has a high success rate with regard to maintaining a functioning filtering bleb and to preserving vision.     

Three-dimensional anterior segment optical coherence tomography of filtering blebs after trabeculectomy

PURPOSE: To evaluate trabeculectomy blebs by using 3-dimensional anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: We prospectively examined 4 eyes of 4 patients who developed filtering blebs after trabeculectomy. A 1310-nm high-speed OCT prototype was used to image the 3-dimensional structure of the filtering blebs. RESULTS: The 3-dimensional structure of the filtering blebs was clearly observed in the OCT images. Three types of filtering blebs were observed: diffuse blebs in 2 eyes, an encapsulated bleb in 1 eye, and a nonfunctioning cystic bleb in 1 eye. The volume of each bleb was 9.97, 1.10, 0.76, and 0.88 mm3, respectively. En-face OCT images clearly showed the aqueous outflow channels at the margins of the scleral flaps. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional OCT allows objective and noninvasive assessment of filtering blebs after trabeculectomy.     

Mini-trabeculectomy in eyes with high risk of scarring: midterm follow-up

PURPOSE: To report on the surgical outcome after at least 1 year of follow-up of mini-trabeculectomy (without scleral radial incisions), which took place in eyes at high risk of postoperative filtering bleb scarring. METHODS: In a prospective, institutional study, mini-trabeculectomy was performed on 26 eyes of 26 consecutive patients aged 40 years and older who had undergone a previous intraocular surgery or had had a post-traumatic recessed anterior chamber angle. The surgical procedure, a modification of the standard trabeculectomy, involved a 3-mm fornix-based conjunctival flap, sclerostomy at 1 mm from the limbus, and a sclerocorneal tunnel without radial incisions. During surgery, 0.4 mg per ml of mitomycin C was applied in the scleral pocket of each eye for 3 minutes. Of the 26 eyes, each of two eyes underwent an intraocular intervention during the first postoperative year and therefore was evaluated only for surgical complications. Another eye underwent inferior mini-trabeculectomy, and three other eyes did not complete 12 months of follow-up. Twenty eyes have completed 12 months or more of follow-up and were included in the midterm calculations of intraocular pressure control. RESULTS: Mean preoperative intraocular pressure (n = 20) was 32.2 +/- 9.5 mm Hg with 3.3 +/- 0.9 hypotensive medications. After 12 to 37 months (mean, 22.1 +/- 6.6) of follow-up, intraocular pressure was 20 mm Hg or less in 18 of 20 eyes (90%) and the mean intraocular pressure was 17.4 +/- 2.9 mm Hg (range, 12 to 23) with 1.1 +/- 1.2 hypotensive medications (range, 0 to 4). At that time, the filtering bleb was low and fleshy in appearance in 15 eyes (75%). Postoperative complications of the 22 eyes included early postoperative aqueous leakage in one eye (4.5%); cataract extraction took place in one eye and vitrectomy was performed in another eye, 7 and 3 months postoperatively, respectively. The four eyes that were excluded from the study had controlled intraocular pressure at the last examination. CONCLUSION: Mini-trabeculectomy in eyes with high risk of scarring was found efficacious and relatively safe. The relatively small peritomy, the tunnel approach, and the avoidance of radial incisions seem to offer important advantages over the standard trabeculectomy.     

Autologous blood injection for late-onset filtering bleb leak.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of autologous blood injections for late-onset filtering bleb leak. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of all eyes that had autologous blood injection(s) for filtering bleb leak occurring at least 2 months after trabeculectomy at the Indiana University Medical Center. Successful treatment was defined as resolution of the bleb leak and no need for additional glaucoma medications. Failure was defined as a persistent bleb leak, intraocular pressure greater than 21 mm Hg, or the occurrence of a vision-threatening event related to the procedure. RESULTS: Thirty-two eyes of 31 patients had autologous blood injection for filtering bleb leak and were followed for a mean of 4.9 months (SD, 9.2; range, 1 to 37 months). Twenty-three eyes (72%) were outright failures because of persistence of the leak. Nine eyes (28%) had an initially successful outcome, but the success rate decreased over time as bleb leaks recurred in three of the nine eyes at 5, 6, and 37 months. No patient characteristics correlated with outcome. Mean intraocular pressure increased from pretreatment to final examination (4.5 to 6.5 mm Hg, P =.003). Mean logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) vision remained unchanged from pretreatment to final examination (P =.55). Blood seepage into the anterior chamber after autologous blood injection was common but transient. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous blood injection is of limited success in treating late-onset filtering bleb leak.     

小梁切除联合超声乳化及人工晶状体植入术

评价无缝线的小梁切除,超声乳化白内障吸出及人工晶状体植入三联手术。方法做巩膜隧道切口及板层巩膜瓣,连续环形撕囊,原位超声乳化碎核并植入人工晶状体,最后行小梁切除。结论该手术具有眼压控制好,无需缝线,滤泡形成佳,能获得良好的视力。     

Tight scleral flap trabeculectomy with postoperative laser suture lysis

Thirty eyes of 30 patients underwent tight scleral flap trabeculectomy. Of these eyes, 22 underwent laser lysis of the scleral flap sutures, whereas eight eyes did not require such treatment because of low intraocular pressure and active filtering blebs. In the 22 eyes treated, preoperative intraocular pressure was 32.6 +/- 8.3 mm Hg, whereas postoperative and pre-laser intraocular pressure was 29.3 +/- 7.4 mm Hg. Immediately after laser suture lysis, intraocular pressure dropped by 22.7 +/- 9.4 mm Hg (P less than .01) to 6.6 +/- 7.0 mm Hg, with elevation of the conjunctival bleb in all eyes treated. After a mean follow-up of 14.4 months, intraocular pressure was controlled (less than or equal to 18 mm Hg) in 20 of the 22 eyes treated (91%). The only major complication was a single case of anterior chamber flattening with intraocular lens touching the corneal endothelium. Combination of tight scleral flap trabeculectomy with subsequent postoperative laser suture lysis is a safe and effective method for low-level intraocular pressure control. This technique seems to combine the advantages of full-thickness filtration and trabeculectomy by achieving relatively low intraocular pressures while minimizing complications caused by excessive aqueous runoff.     

生物羊膜在青光眼小梁切除术中应用的临床观察

目的:探讨生物羊膜在青光眼小梁切除术中应用的疗效。方法:对16例(16眼)进行滤过性小梁切除手术,术中用生物羊膜填充在巩膜瓣下层间,进行临床观察。结果:I型、II型滤过泡13眼;Ⅲ型滤过泡3眼。在术后1mo眼压16眼均在正常范围内;术后6mo,14眼眼压≤21mmHg,有2眼需用药物控制在正常范围。结论:生物羊膜在青光眼小梁切除术中应用,提高了滤过性小梁切除手术成功率。     

Midterm follow-up of necrotic bleb excision and advancement of the fornical conjunctiva

Mitomycin C has improved the success rate of glaucoma filtering surgery in patients at high risk for surgical failure. However chronic hypotony is marked by decreased vision and a late-onset leaking bleb after filtration surgery using mitomycin C. Bleb excision and conjunctival advancement is the method of choice to repair bleb leakage and chronic hypotony. Five eyes from five patients were received glaucoma filtration surgery with topical mitomycin C. All of the patients' blebs were avascular and transparent. The reasons for bleb excision were two spontaneous bleb leaks, two traumatic bleb leaks and one case of severe irritation. The mean follow-up period was 18.4 +/- 8.3 months (ten to 29 months). Cataract surgery was combined in one eye. Postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) increased from 2.3 +/- 1.5 mmHg to 9.5 +/- 3.7 mmHg at nine months postoperatively in four eyes. It went from 28 mmHg to 40 mmHg in one patient with uveitis, for whom a second trabeculectomy with mitomycin C; 0.4 mg/ml for 3 minutes, was performed. After surgery, IOP decreased to 4 mmHg in three months. Postoperative visual acuity improved four snellen lines in three eyes. A partially avascular bleb recurred in three eyes, a corneal bleb in one eye and blepharoptosis, which disappeared spontaneously at four months postoperatively, in one eye. Necrotic bleb excision and advancement of fornical conjunctiva were useful methods to increase IOP and to improve visual acuity for the patient experiencing irritation symptoms, and for leaking blebs, and hypotonic maculopathy.     

超声乳化白内障吸除折叠式人工晶状体植入联合青光眼小梁切除术

目的 评价３．５ｍｍ小切口超声乳化白内障吸除折叠式人工晶状体（ｉｎｔｒａｏｃｕｌａｒ ｌｅｎｓ,ＩＯＬ）植入联合小梁切除术（三联手术）的安全 及有效性,并比较常规巩膜瓣和隧道巩膜瓣２种小切口三联手术的效果。方法 采用上方３．５ｍｍ常规巩膜瓣或隧道巩膜瓣切口对４２例（４４只眼）白内障合并联手术的效果。方法 采用上方３．５ｍｍ常规巩膜瓣或隧道巩膜瓣切口对４２例（４４只眼）白内障合并青光眼患者行三联手术     

Stratus optical coherence tomography study of filtering blebs after primary trabeculectomy with a fornix‐based conjunctival flap

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between filtering bleb function and Stratus optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. Methods: We studied 72 eyes of 65 consecutive patients who had a fornix‐based conjunctival flap in primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC). Filtering blebs with various types of glaucoma were examined using Stratus OCT. Success rates were defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) ≤ 15 mmHg and IOP reduction ≥ 25% without medication or additional surgery. Success rates among classified groups were compared using Kaplan–Meier survival curves and the log‐rank test. Results: Blebs were classified into three different categories on the basis of the following Stratus OCT patterns: cystoid type (multiple cysts inside the bleb; 17 eyes), diffuse type (low to high reflective areas that were mixed inside the bleb; 31 eyes) and layer type (medium to high reflective layer inside the bleb; 24 eyes). Success rates in the cystoid‐, diffuse‐ and layer‐type blebs were 94%, 97% and 75% (P = 0.02), respectively. Conclusion: In trabeculectomy with MMC and a fornix‐based conjunctival flap, there is a significant association between the success rates and the postoperative Stratus OCT findings of filtering blebs.     

Relationship between formation of a filtering bleb and an intrascleral aqueous drainage route after trabeculectomy: evaluation using ultrasound biomicroscopy

We evaluated the relationship between the development of filtering bleb and the thickness of the aqueous drainage route beneath the scleral flap in patients who had undergone trabeculectomy. The relationship between the postoperative intraocular pressure and the size of the filtering bleb was also studied. We studied 29 eyes of 21 patients who had been followed for at least 1 (mean 9.9) month after the trabeculectomy. Ultrasound biomicroscopy was used to examine the filtering bleb and aqueous drainage route beneath the scleral flap. The thickness of the aqueous drainage route beneath the center of the scleral flap was found to be correlated with the development of a filtering bleb (r = 0.391, p < 0.05). The size of the bleb was correlated with the intraocular pressure (r = -0.560, p < 0.05) which had not been treated with antiglaucoma medication during follow-up. Thus, preservation of the aqueous drainage route beneath the scleral flap probably influenced the development of a filtering bleb following trabeculectomy.     

改良可调整缝线在小梁切除术中的应用

目的：探讨小梁切除术中应用改良可调整缝线的方法和疗效。方法：对65例70眼原发性急性闭角型青光眼患者行小梁切除术,术中对巩膜瓣采用改良可调整缝线缝合。观察术后眼压、前房、滤过泡、可调整缝线松脱等情况。结果：所有患者随访时间6～24（平均11）mo。可拆除缝线拆线时间1～14（平均7.4）d。拆线前眼压13.30～28.46（平均16.86）mmHg,拆线后眼压8.40～16.57（平均10.50）mmHg,二者差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。70眼均无拆线并发症和滤过泡渗漏。术后70眼中Ⅰ度浅前房3眼,Ⅱ度浅前房2眼,浅前房发生率7%。70眼末次随访眼压9.00～16.80（平均11.45）mmHg,70眼形成扁平滤过泡55眼,微小囊样滤过泡15眼,功能性滤过泡100%。结论：改良可调整缝线在小梁切除术中安全、术后有效,可有效控制术后房水滤过水平,有利于远期眼压的控制和功能滤过泡的形成。     

Surgical reduction of symptomatic, circumferential, filtering blebs

We describe methods and outcomes of surgical reduction of symptomatic, circumferential, filtering blebs after trabeculectomy with antifibrotic agents. The medical records of 15 eyes of 14 patients with symptomatic, circumferential blebs who underwent surgical bleb reduction for bleb dysesthesia under topical anesthesia were reviewed. Each bleb was incised segmentally and the cut edges of the conjunctiva and Tenon capsule were sutured to the underlying sclera. Outcome measures included symptomatic relief, retention of bleb function, and intraocular pressure maintenance. Fourteen eyes had successful reduction of bleb size, symptomatic relief, and cosmetically acceptable appearance. One eye continued to have dysesthesia and 1 had a transient bleb leak that resolved spontaneously. Surgical reduction of circumferential, symptomatic, filtering blebs is a safe and effective technique to reduce bleb dysesthesia and improve cosmesis without loss of bleb function.