Experience with the Molteno long tube implant

Dissatisfaction with other forms of treatment in the neovascular and other 'difficult' glaucomas led the authors to use the Molteno long tube implant. This paper resulted from a review of the results obtained in 30 cases over the past four years. The patients fell naturally into the two groups of neovascular and non-neovascular glaucomas. The eyes with neovascular glaucoma had an implant used early in the disease process, while the eyes with non-neovascular glaucoma tended to have the implant used as a last resort, after the failure of conventional techniques. An overall success rate of 63 per cent was found and this could be subdivided into success rates of 50 per cent for the non-neovascular group and of 75 per cent for the neovascular group. These findings probably reflect the late or early use of the implant in the disease process. The results confirm the authors' clinical impression that the Molteno long tube implant is a useful tool in the management of these glaucomas, and that for optimal results it should be considered early in the condition.