Loss of Pressure Control Resulting from Tube Bending during Glaucoma Drainage Tube Perforations

Tube perforations are a common method of achieving early intraocular pressure control with ligated glaucoma drainage devices (GDDs). Our purpose was to investigate how bending GDD tubes affects the performance of needle perforations.

Experimental report.

Twenty silicone GDD tubes attached to 27 G Rycroft cannulae tied with 7-0 Vicryl 10 mm from the cannulae tips.

Silicone GDD tubing was fitted over a 27 G Rycroft cannula and tied with a 7-0 suture 10 mm from the cannula tip. The tube was perforated 4 mm from the cannula tip with a 25 G needle (tube was kept straight). The tube was secured in a 50-mm water bath. Aqueous food dye was infused through the cannula from an adjustable height. The tube was observed under magnification while the height of the fluid column was adjusted to establish the pressure gradient at which the tube leaked dye (opening pressure) and ceased to leak (closing pressure), while the tube was held straight and bent 90 degrees. Measurements were repeated after a second perforation and a third perforation. Ten tubes were tested this way with 3 sequential slits. The entire experiment was repeated with another 10 tubes, but this time the tube was allowed to bend within the 3.5-mm open prongs of a needle holder during needle perforation.

Opening and closing pressures.

For each tube, the opening and closing pressures were similar and highly reproducible, but there was wide variation between tubes. In the tubes kept straight when perforated, the opening/closing pressure ranged from 5 to 25 cmH₂O. The opening and closing pressures of slits made in the bent tube were significantly lower, frequently leaking at <1 cmH₂O. Bending the tube after perforation could close a slit and prevent leakage at high perfusion pressure. The second and third successive perforations caused lower opening and closing pressures.

Tube perforations behave like pressure-sensitive valves, opening whenever intraluminal pressure increases above a specific value. However, we found a large variation in the performance of fenestrations made with a 25-G hypodermic needle. Allowing the GDD tube to bend during needle perforation increases the risk of very low opening and closing pressures.