[Glaucoma seton implantation surgery via different pathways for complicated glaucoma]

To evaluate the effectiveness of glaucoma seton implantation surgeries via three different pathways for complicated glaucoma.

Ninety-nine cases (99 eyes) with complicated glaucoma having undergone glaucoma seton implantation surgeries were divided into three groups. Fifty-eight cases were included (58 eyes) in the group with anterior chamber implantation (AC group), 16 cases (16 eyes) were in the group with posterior chamber implantation (PC group) and 25 cases (25 eyes) were in the group with vitreous cavity implantation (VC group).

The follow-up ranged from 6 to 34 months (mean 19.6 months). In the AC group, the postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) of 40 cases (69.0%) was < 21 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) without using any pressure-lowering agents. The postoperative IOP of 6 cases (10.3%) was < 21 mm Hg with pressure-lowering agents. Patients with IOP controlled < 21 mm Hg were altogether 46 cases (79.3%). The IOP of 11 cases (68.8%) in the PC group was controlled without agents and another 1 case (6.2%) was controlled with medications. Therefore, the total success rate was 75.0% (12 cases). The corresponding rates for the VC group were 10 cases (40.0%), 3 cases (12.0%) and 13 cases (52.0%) respectively. Statistical significant difference (chi 2 = 6.525, P = 0.038) was found in the success rates among these 3 groups. But if we excluded cases with neovascular glaucoma, no statistical difference (chi 2 = 4.231, P = 0.121) was found of the success rates among these 3 groups.

No influence on surgical effectiveness was found among glaucoma seton implantation surgeries via different pathways for complicated glaucoma.