Trabeculectomy with brief exposure to mitomycin C

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of primary trabeculectomy with brief exposure (15 s) to mitomycin C (MMC) (0.4 mg/mL). METHODS: Medical record review of all patients who underwent primary trabeculectomy with brief exposure to MMC at the Goldschleger Eye Institute in a 4-year period was performed. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients (35 men, mean age of 55 years) underwent trabeculectomy with brief exposure to MMC. Intraocular pressure (IOP) decreased a mean +/- standard deviation of 17.9 +/- 9.6 mmHg from 30.4 +/- 9.5 mmHg preoperatively to 12.5 +/- 6.2 mmHg postoperatively after a mean follow up of 18.3 months (P < 0.001). Number of antiglaucoma medications decreased from 2.9 +/- 1.1 preoperatively to 0.2 +/- 0.4 postoperatively (P < 0.001, paired samples t-test). Complete success, defined as IOP < 18 mmHg without antiglaucoma medication, was achieved in 46 patients (73%) and qualified success, defined as IOP