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Aqueous shunts for intractable glaucoma in infants
Mary Lucy M Pereira1, Silvana V Araujo, Richard P Wilson
1William and Anna Goldberg Glaucoma Service and Research Laboratory Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
Insights
Aqueous shunts offer a viable treatment for infantile glaucoma unresponsive to standard therapies. This study shows shunts provide effective long-term intraocular pressure control in infants with refractory glaucoma.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Glaucoma Management
- Surgical Interventions
Background:
- Infantile glaucoma presents a significant challenge, often requiring advanced treatment strategies.
- Conventional therapies may be insufficient for managing complex pediatric glaucoma cases.
- Aqueous shunts represent a surgical option for refractory glaucoma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term efficacy of aqueous shunts in treating infantile glaucoma.
- To evaluate outcomes in pediatric patients whose glaucoma did not respond to conventional treatments.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of patients aged 3 years or younger treated with aqueous shunts.
- Study included 10 eyes from 6 patients managed between November 1990 and November 1996.
- Data analysis focused on intraocular pressure (IOP) control and need for reintervention.
Main Results:
- Preoperative mean IOP was 29.75 mmHg without medication.
- Postoperative mean IOP decreased to 18.25 mmHg at an average follow-up of 50 months.
- Successful control was achieved in 6 eyes; 2 required revision, and 2 failed.
Conclusions:
- Aqueous shunts demonstrated relative effectiveness in managing recalcitrant infantile glaucoma.
- Surgical intervention with aqueous shunts can provide long-term IOP control in challenging pediatric cases.
Background And Objective:
To evaluate the long-term outcome of aqueous shunts in the treatment of infantile glaucoma refractory to conventional treatment.
Patients And Methods:
The records of all patients up to 3 years of age managed with aqueous shunts for uncontrolled glaucoma between November 1990 and November 1996 were retrospectively reviewed. Ten eyes of 6 patients were included in the study.
Results:
The mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 29.75 +/- 4.15 (mm Hg; SD), with none of the eyes on antiglaucoma medication. Postoperatively, the mean IOP was 18.25 +/- 5.34 (mm Hg; SD) at a mean follow up of 50 +/- 25.6 (SD) months with 7 eyes on topical antiglaucoma medication. At the final follow up, 6 eyes were considered successfully controlled without reintervention, 2 more were controlled after shunt revision, and 2 were considered failures.
Conclusions:
Aqueous shunts were relatively effective in this series of infants with recalcitrant glaucoma.