[Silicone implants in untreatable glaucoma]

In the last years drainage shunts for otherwise untreatable glaucoma are effective. An own device is described, manufactured from medical, grade silicone. It consists of a tube with inner diameter of 0.4 mm and outer diameter of 0.9 mm. This tube is inserted in a disc, resembling a contact lens with a diameter of 12 mm, radius of 12 mm and a thickness of 0.55 mm. This part is fixed under a conjunctival flap between two recti muscles and the tube after proper shortening is introduced into the anterior chamber. The operation technique, results and complications in the first 11 eyes of 11 patients are reported. In 2 eyes it was not possible to lower the tension, in one only with additive medication. 2 eyes had a permanent hypotony. In 6 eyes a long term pressure normalisation was seen.