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Updated: Nov 23, 2025

Using a Laminating Technique to Perform Confocal Microscopy of the Human Sclera
Published on: May 6, 2016
Absence of lymphatic vessels in non-functioning bleb capsules of glaucoma drainage devices
Robert Siggel1,2, Falk Schroedl3, Thomas Dietlein1
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Purpose:
To evaluate the presence and appearance of blood and lymphatic vessels in non-functioning bleb capsules of glaucoma drainage devices (GDD).
Materials And Methods:
Non-functioning (n=14) GDD-bleb capsules of 12 patients were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for blood vessels (CD31, vascular endothelium), lymphatic vessels (lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 [LYVE-1] and podoplanin) and macrophages (CD68).
Results:
CD31+++ blood vessels and CD68+ macrophages were detected in the outer layer of all specimens. LYVE-1 immunoreactivity was registered in single non-endothelial cells in 8 out of 14 (57%) bleb capsule specimens. Podoplanin-immunoreactivity was detected in all cases, located in cells and profiles of the collagen tissue network of the outer and/or the inner capsule layer. However, a colocalization of LYVE-1 and podoplanin as evidence for lymphatic vessels was not detected.
Conclusions:
We demonstrate the presence of blood-vessels but absence of lymphatic vessels in non-functioning bleb capsules after GDD-implantation. While the absence of lymphatic vessels might indicate a possible reason for drainage device failure, this needs to be confirmed in upcoming studies, including animal experiments.
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