Indocyanine green staining facilitates detection of bleb leakage during trabeculectomy.

PURPOSE: To report a new technique to visualize bleb leakage using indocyanine green (ICG) staining during trabeculectomy.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

The ICG solution was widely applied over the filtering bleb including the conjunctival wound before completion of trabeculectomy. This procedure was performed in 48 eyes of 44 consecutive patients undergoing trabeculectomy between December 2004 and October 2005.

RESULTS

Without staining, bleb leakage was not identified by the direct observation under the operating microscope. ICG staining clearly visualized aqueous leakage from the bleb in 5 eyes (10.4%). The bleb leakage in these eyes was easily repaired with 10-0 nylon sutures, and no eyes, including these 5 cases, showed bleb leakage after surgery. There were no intraoperative and postoperative complications related to ICG application.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of ICG during trabeculectomy is a simple and useful technique to facilitate detection and repair of the bleb leakage.