An ultrasound biomicroscopy study after deep sclerectomy with supraciliary implant

To evaluate patients 24 months after deep sclerectomy (DE) with supraciliary implant, and identify any predictive success factors by examination with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 26 eyes of 23 patients evaluated by UBM 24 months after a deep sclerectomy with a supraciliary hema implant.

There was a significant reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP), changing from a preoperative mean of 25.6 ± 6.4 mmHg to a postoperative mean of 16.2 ± 3.4 mmHg (P<.001). The number of preoperative glaucoma medications also decreased from 2.5 ± 0.6 drugs per patient to 0.5 ± 0.5 (P<.001). No change was observed in the best-corrected visual acuity. The anatomical characteristics of the surgical area, and its relationship with IOP were examined using UBM. There was no correlation between the level of IOP at the time of UBM and the horizontal (r=-.05: P=.71) and vertical diameter (r=-.1; P=.63), the height (r=.28; P=.25) and the volume of intrascleral space (r=-.08; P=.79), the thickness (r=-.07; P=.73) and the length (r=.39; P=.13) of trabeculo-Descemet's membrane (TDM), the presence of filtering bleb (P=.30) and the hypoechoic area in the supraciliary space (P=.24).

The insertion of a hema implant in the supraciliary space is an effective and safe surgery for patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG). No predictive success factors for supraciliary implant were found using the UBM study.