[Deep perforating trabeculectomy--results after up to six years follow-up]

The aim of this retrospective study was to establish intraocular pressure (IOP) values in patients after deep perforating trabeculectomy (TE) in time periods after the surgery (one month, 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 6 years). Furthermore, the pharmacotherapy after TE and complications after TE, especially consecutive cataract surgeries, were followed-up.

Altogether 110 patients were included into the study, which underwent TE in the years 2003 - 2008 at the Department of Ophthalmology, Kyjov Hospital, Czech republic. The TE procedure was performed in the standard manner with the base of the conjunctival flap located at the limbus. The non-parametric Wilcoxon pair test was used for the statistical evaluation.

In all time periods after the surgeries, statistically significant decrease of the IOP comparing to the preoperative values occurred (test significance p < 0.0001 for all comparisons). The pharmacotherapy after the TE was reduced significantly: after 6 years, there were 27% of patients without any therapy, 39% of patients used the neuroprotective monotherapy only, 32% used combined therapy with two medications, and two patients only were treated by combined therapy with three medications. In two patients in which the target IOP was not reached, another TE was performed and the target IOP was achieved.

TE is safe and effective method in the glaucoma therapy. After 6 years, two thirds of patients are without any therapy, or with neuroprotective monotherapy respectively.