Surgical outcome after early intraocular pressure elevation following combined cataract extraction and trabeculectomy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We report on the incidence and course of early postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation and related surgical outcome following combined manual extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), using a sclerocorneal tunnel incision and trabeculectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The combined procedure was the initial surgery in each eye. Intraocular pressure was measured during the first 4 days, at 1 week, and thereafter following surgery. RESULTS: Of 38 eyes (38 consecutive adults), postoperative IOP elevation to > 25 mm Hg was found in 7 eyes (18.4%) during the first 3 postoperative days. The IOP was reduced to < or = 20 mm Hg without hypotensive medication in 3 of them within the first 3-7 postoperative days, and remained so after 7-16 months (mean, 10.3 +/- 4.9 months). Each of the other 4 eyes underwent argon-laser suture lysis 8-10 days after surgery due to unstable IOP which rose to > 30 mm Hg. Two weeks after the operation and thereafter, ie, after 8-22 months (mean, 12.8 +/- 6.4 months), each of these 4 eyes necessitated 1-4 (mean, 2.5 +/- 1.3) hypotensive medications. CONCLUSION: This study raises the possibility that in eyes with early IOP elevation, a delay in promoting aqueous outflow beyond a critical period during the first postoperative week might become a risk factor for full surgical success.