The trabeculum as a drain in aphakic glaucoma.

Glaucoma of the aphakic patient is often difficult to treat. The authors present a new surgical technique which uses a portion of the trabeculum as a drain placed in the anterior chamber. Thirty eyes (19 aphakic and 11 pseudophakic) in 28 patients presenting refractory glaucoma were operated on by the same surgeon. Sixteen eyes had already undergone glaucoma surgery, 17 presented vitreous in the anterior chamber. The average postoperative follow-up was 18 months. Eighteen eyes (60%) needed no further treatment, 6 eyes (20%) were stabilized with a local treatment, 6 eyes (20%) remained hypertonic. This new surgical technique, which uses a portion of the trabeculum as a drain, allows for long-lasting filtration in the aphakic or pseudophakic patient with refractory glaucoma.