Circumferential Trabeculotomy Versus Conventional Angle Surgery: Comparing Long-term Surgical Success and Clinical Outcomes in Children With Primary Congenital Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: This study compares the long-term efficacy of circumferential trabeculotomy to that of conventional angle surgeries in primary congenital glaucoma (PCG), as judged by glaucoma and visual outcomes.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational case series.

METHODS

Setting

Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, Georgia.

STUDY POPULATION: This was a single-institution retrospective study involving children with PCG who underwent circumferential trabeculotomy, standard trabeculotomy, or goniotomy with ≥2-year follow-up.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative success (intraocular pressure [IOP] < 22 mm Hg ± glaucoma medications, without glaucoma progression/additional IOP-lowering surgery), Snellen-equivalent visual acuity (VA), and IOP at last follow-up. Kaplan-Meier method estimated the probability of glaucoma control vs time postoperatively, and values were compared between angle surgery cohorts using Wilcoxon signed rank tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Fisher exact tests.

RESULTS

Included were 58 eyes (33 children) after circumferential trabeculotomy and 42 eyes (27 children) after standard trabeculotomy/goniotomy, with mean follow-up of 7.2 ± 4.0 and 8.2 ± 4.5 years, respectively. Postoperative success at last follow-up in the circumferential vs conventional cohorts was 81% (47 of 58 eyes) vs 31% (13 of 42 eyes) (P < .0001). At last follow-up, the circumferential cohort had better median VA than the conventional cohort (20/30 (interquartile range [IQR] 20/25 to 20/70) vs 20/70 (IQR 20/40 to 20/200), P = .009), required fewer glaucoma medications (0.55 ± 1.2 vs 1.61 ± 1.51, P < .0001), had lower IOP in first operated eye (15.2 ± 3.6 vs 18.2 ± 7.0, P = .048), and had comparable incidence of devastating complications (P = .065).

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective study, circumferential trabeculotomy afforded better long-term success and visual outcomes than conventional angle surgery for children with PCG.