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Abstract #8044 Published in IGR 4-3

Confocal microscopic examination of trabecular meshwork removed during ab externo trabeculectomy

Hamard P; Valtot F; Sourdille P; Bourles-Dagonet F; Baudouin C
British Journal of Ophthalmology 2002; 86: 1046-1052


AIMS: The aim of the ab externo trabeculectomy (AET) is to remove the external portion of the trabecular meshwork (ETM) responsible for the main aqueous outflow resistance in glaucoma patients, with no opening of the anterior chamber. ETM characteristics were evaluated with a confocal microscope. METHODS: A prospective comparative observational case series was performed in 60 consecutive medically treated patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and eight postmortem normal donors' eyes that underwent AET. Once deroofing Schlemm's canal (SC), a deeper dissection led to removal of a coherent membrane (ETM) which allowed satisfactory aqueous egress through the remaining intact internal trabecular meshwork (TM) layers. After fixation with acetone and immunostaining with anti-vimentin antibody, ETM were analyzed with a confocal microscope. RESULTS: Glaucomatous ETM (mean thickness: 29.5 (7.6) μm) were characterized by a severe paucicellularity compared with the controls (respectively, 37.3 (9.7) cells/area and 167.5 (24.9) cells/area, p < 10-4). ETM analysis showed involvement of both cribriform and corneoscleral layers. ETM cell density was significantly decreased in case of preoperative fluorometholone instillation. CONCLUSION: Paucicellularity of glaucomatous TM is confirmed by this original technique. Structural characteristics of the ETM, whose removal allows satisfactory aqueous egress, suggest that aqueous outflow resistance not only involves inner wall of SC and juxtacanalicular meshwork but also corneoscleral trabecular layers.

P. Hamard, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Quinze-Vingts Hospital Paris, University Paris V, France. pascale-hamard@quinze-vingts.fr


Classification:

12.8.3 Non-perforating (Part of: 12 Surgical treatment > 12.8 Filtering surgery)



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