Early Complications and Results of Preserflo MicroShunt in the Management of Uncontrolled Open-Angle Glaucoma: A Case

Emil Saeed1, Renata Zalewska1, Joanna Konopińska1

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland.

Insights

The Preserflo MicroShunt effectively lowers intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma patients. While generally safe, early complications like hypotony and bleb fibrosis occurred in 46.7% of cases.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Glaucoma Surgery
  • Medical Devices

Background:

  • Glaucoma management often requires surgical intervention to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP).
  • The Preserflo MicroShunt is a device designed for glaucoma surgery to improve aqueous humor outflow.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the surgical outcomes and early complications of the Preserflo MicroShunt at six-month follow-up.
  • To assess the impact of the Preserflo MicroShunt on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and IOP.
  • To analyze the need for glaucoma medications post-implantation.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective study including 30 eyes of 30 patients undergoing Preserflo MicroShunt implantation.
  • Intraoperative augmentation with mitomycin C (MMC) at concentrations of 0.2 mg/mL or 0.5 mg/mL.
  • Assessment of BCVA, IOP, and medication use at various time points up to six months post-surgery.

Main Results:

  • Overall IOP was significantly reduced at all post-treatment time points compared to pre-surgery levels (p < 0.001).
  • A significant improvement in BCVA was noted one day after surgery for all patients (p = 0.045), but not consistently across subgroups.
  • Early complications occurred in 46.7% of cases, including hypotony, choroidal effusion, keratitis, hyphema, and bleb fibrosis.
  • 16.7% of patients required anti-glaucoma medications at three months post-procedure.

Conclusions:

  • The Preserflo MicroShunt demonstrates safety and efficacy in lowering IOP for glaucoma patients.
  • While effective, the device is associated with transient early complications that require monitoring and management.
  • Further long-term studies are warranted to fully understand the risk-benefit profile of the Preserflo MicroShunt.

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