Long-term surgical outcomes of Aurolab aqueous drainage implant in pediatric eyes with primary congenital glaucoma versus aphakic glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of the Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) placed in eyes with refractory primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) versus aphakic glaucoma (APG).

DESIGN

Retrospective comparative interventional case series.

METHODS

Case files of consecutive eyes with PCG or APG that underwent AADI surgery between January 2013 and December 2016 and had a minimum 4 years follow-up were extracted from a computerised database. Failure was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP)>21 mm Hg or reduced<20% below baseline on two consecutive follow-up visits after 3 months, IOP≤5 mm Hg on two consecutive follow-up visits after 3 months, reoperation for glaucoma or a complication, or loss of light perception.

RESULTS

Eighty-nine eyes underwent AADI placement, including 42 eyes (47%) with PCG and 47 eyes (53%) with APG. Both groups were comparable at baseline. At 1 year, the APG group had lower mean IOP (13.6±8.1 mm Hg vs 17.6±7.5 mm Hg, p=0.02) with use of fewer IOP-lowering medications (0.8±1.0 vs 1.5±1.0, p=0.01) than the PCG group. The cumulative failure rate at 4 years was 57% (95% CI 43% to 72%) in PCG versus 40% (95% CI 28% to 56%) in the APG eyes (p=0.11). Eyes with PCG had greater tube-related complications (48% vs 38%, p=0.07) and number of reoperations (40% vs 32%, p=0.02) compared with eyes with APG.

CONCLUSIONS

Eyes with APG had relatively better outcomes after AADI placement compared with PCG during 4 years of follow-up. Reoperations accounted for more than 70% of the failures.