Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Surgical Induction of Endolymphatic Hydrops by Obliteration of the Endolymphatic Duct
Published on: January 22, 2010
A New Ultrasound Biomicroscopic Sign seen after Deep Sclerectomy (Dolphin Head Sign)
Ahmed M Abdelrahman1, Hala M El Cheweikh1, Dina Ms El-Fayoumi2
1Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Kasr Al-Ainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Purpose:
To describe a new ultrasound biomicroscopic (UBM) sign seen in patients who underwent deep sclerectomy (DS) as a surgical procedure for the management of uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The presence of this sign in ultrasound biomicroscopy is suggested to be an indicator of successful surgery. We would like to name this sign as the "dolphin head sign."
Design:
Prospective interventional study.
Materials And Methods:
Twenty-eight eyes of 17 patients with POAG underwent DS with intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC) 0.3% applied for 2 minutes under the superficial scleral flap. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months. Ultrasound biomicroscopy was done at the third postoperative month to evaluate the surgical area in both successful and failed cases.
Results:
The study included 28 eyes of 17 patients. The mean age of the study group was 42.90 ± 14.37 years (20-64 years). The study included 10 females and 7 males. The mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 24.57 ± 6.37 mm Hg (20-38 mm Hg). The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.57 ± 0.3 (0.05-1.00). Complete success has been achieved in 21 eyes (75%) during the follow-up period, with a mean IOP of 12.00 ± 3.86 mm Hg (6-20 mm Hg). The dolphin head sign was demonstrated only in successful cases, whereas the unsuccessful cases failed to show the typical sign.
Conclusion:
The presence of a "dolphin head" configuration in UBM images could be taken as an indicator of successful DS. How to cite this article: Abdelrahman AM, El Cheweikh HM, El-Fayoumi DMS, Allam RSHM. A New Ultrasound Biomicroscopic Sign seen after Deep Sclerectomy (Dolphin Head Sign). J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2016;10(2):56-59.
