Bleb revision with Tenon's transposition flap: Case report.

INTRODUCTION

To describe the use and technique of a Tenon's transposition flap without overlying conjunctiva to cover bare sclera following bleb excision and tube shunt implantation.

PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 76-year-old man with severe stage primary open-angle glaucoma in both eyes presented with a nonfunctioning trabeculectomy with a thin-walled, cystic bleb overhanging the cornea. A Baerveldt-350 Glaucoma Implant in the ciliary sulcus was recommended for further lowering of intraocular pressure, along with concurrent excision of the bleb due to patient dissatisfaction with the cosmesis of the bleb and to prevent future bleb-associated complications. Conjunctiva could be closed without tension over the new tube entry site; however, a defect remained at the prior trabeculectomy site. A Tenon's transposition flap without overlying conjunctiva was created to cover this site. By postoperative week 6, new conjunctiva had grown over the Tenon's transposition graft, appearing as if there had never been a bleb.

DISCUSSION: This case illustrates the use of a Tenon's transposition flap to cover bare sclera following bleb excision. This technique proves valuable when conjunctiva is limited, offering an alternative when adjacent conjunctiva cannot be mobilized.

CONCLUSION

In cases requiring non-water-tight coverage of bare sclera with limited available conjunctiva, a Tenon's transposition flap can be used, permitting new conjunctiva to safely grow over bare Tenon's. This technique is useful during a variety of scenarios, including tube shunt and trabeculectomy revisions, where conjunctival closure may be difficult.