Thermal sclerostomy and posterior lip sclerectomy: a comparative study

Eighty-two consecutive filtering procedures (47 thermal sclerostomies and 35 posterior lip sclerectomies), performed by senior staff and residents at the Duke University Eye Center between 1972-1976, were reviewed and compared. Operative and early postoperative complications were more common with the posterior lip sclerectomies. However, late postoperative complications were equal for the two groups, with cataracts occurring in approximately 30% of both categories. A final intraocular pressure of 20 mm Hg or less, with or without medication, was achieved in 66% of the thermal sclerostomies and 85.7% of the posterior lip sclerectomies. Residents did not perform as well as the senior staff when using thermal sclerostomy (60% vs. 70%, respectively), but performed equally well when using posterior lip sclerectomy (85.7% for both groups). In comparing black and white patients, the final intraocular pressures were the same in both groups.