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PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to look at the long-term safety, and the effectiveness on intraocular pressure, of trabeculectomy and mitomycin C (MMC) applied under the scleral flap. METHODS: All patients undergoing trabeculectomy and MMC application during the period June 1992-August 1995 were included. Data on 30 eyes of 25 patients were reviewed. We looked at sociodemographic variables, intraocular pressure (IOP) control, visual acuities and bleb morphology. Bleb-related and other complications were also noted. Statistical analysis was performed with Student's paired t-test, and Kaplan-Meier life table analysis was utilised for IOP control. RESULTS: The mean age of patients (12 male and 13 female) was 56 years (range 7-79 years), with a mean follow-up period of 8.7 years (range 5-11 years). There was one eye with blebitis/endophthalmitis at four years, and one eye developed hypotonous maculopathy. Ten eyes were noted to have poor bleb morphology due to long-standing fibrosis, and the majority of these underwent further surgical intervention with 5-fluorouracil (5FU) needling. The IOP control showed good results, with mean IOP falling from a preoperative level of 24.8-15.2 mmHg at the last visit, with good probability of maintenance in the longer term. The main reason for reduced vision was pre-existing co-morbidity and development of lenticular opacities. CONCLUSION: In the series with the longest follow-up period our study showed that trabeculectomy augmented with MMC under the scleral flap in these difficult cases can achieve good long-term IOP control and is associated with minimal long-term complications.
Dr. I Kyprianou, Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, Dudley Road, Birmingham, B18 7QH, UK. maged_nessim@hotmail.com
12.8.10 Woundhealing antifibrosis (Part of: 12 Surgical treatment > 12.8 Filtering surgery)