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PURPOSE: To assess the effectiveness of a combined procedure (pars plana vitrectomy with temporary keratoprosthesis, penetrating keratoplasty, and pars plana seton implant) in preserving vision and controlling intraocular pressure (IOP). METHODS: We reviewed the course of visual acuity, IOP, graft clarity, retinal status, and complications in 18 patients who underwent the above procedure during one operating sitting. RESULTS: Preoperative diagnoses were varied. The majority of patients had pseudophakic bullous keratopathy and failed corneal transplants with glaucoma. Preoperative mean visual acuity was hand motions. Preoperative mean IOP was 27±13 mmHg. Initially, all patients had attached retina. With a mean follow-up of 17±9 months, six patients had improved vision greater than 2 lines and 10 had unchanged vision. Only two patients lost vision greater than 2 lines. The final average IOP was 16±6 mmHg and only one eye had a pressure above 22 mmHg. Three eyes were classified as complete failures; two of the three became phthisical. Two patients developed rhegmatogenous detachments requiring further surgery. CONCLUSION: The combined procedure offers reasonable improvement in vision, good pressure control, and a tolerable number of complications. It is a useful procedure in eyes that probably would not have been treatable otherwise.
Doheny Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA.
12.8.2 With tube implant or other drainage devices (Part of: 12 Surgical treatment > 12.8 Filtering surgery)