Long-term success after trabeculectomy in open-angle glaucoma: results of a retrospective cohort study

To evaluate the long-term outcomes of trabeculectomy (TE) surgery in a large cohort with a minimum follow-up of 3 years.

Retrospective cohort study.

University Eye Hospital, Germany.

Three hundred and seventy-nine patients with open-angle glaucoma underwent TE with mitomycin C (MMC) between January 2013 and February 2017 with a minimal follow-up of 3 years. Eligible patients were identified via an electronic surgical case register.

All patients had undergone TE with MMC following a set surgical protocol. To assess the influence of cataract surgery following TE, eyes which underwent cataract surgery at least 6 months after TE were matched 1:3 by sex and age to eyes who did not undergo cataract surgery during the follow-up period.

Primary outcome was the proportion of surgical success based on intraocular pressure (IOP), surgical complications, the need for revision surgery, loss of light perception and the need for additional pressure-lowering medication.

The mean follow-up time was 6 (±0.8, IQR: 5.4-6.5) years. Seventy-three per cent of eyes achieved qualified surgical success at the last follow-up (IOP≥5 mm Hg and ≤18 mm Hg, without surgical complications or complete loss of vision) but necessitated additional medical therapy, complete surgical success with no additional medical therapy was achieved in 69% of eyes. There was no significant difference in the success probability between eyes that had undergone cataract surgery after TE and those that had not (p=0.45).

The results demonstrate a high and stable success rate of TE after a mean follow-up time of approximately 6 years, that is, not affected by later cataract surgery.