[Modified viscocanalostomy for the surgical treatment with primary open angle glaucoma].

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical outcome of trabeculectomy with viscocanalostomy in patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

METHODS

100 patients (100 eyes) with uncontrolled POAG were randomly assigned to either trabeculectomy group (50 eyes) or viscocanalostomy (VCO) group (50 eyes) and followed up for average 28 months. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured with a non-contact Topcon CT80 tonometer.

RESULTS

At 1 month after operation, IOP was (11.22 +/- 4.34) and (12.35 +/- 3.79) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa, n = 50) in the eyes undergoing VCO or trabeculectomy surgery, respectively. The complete success rate (IOP < 21 mmHg without antiglaucoma medications) was 98.0% in both groups. There was no significant difference in IOP and complete success rate between both groups. At 12 months, IOP in VCO group was significantly (P < 0.05) lower (14.50 +/- 3.22) than that in trabeculectomy group (16.58 +/- 4.73) mmHg, while the complete success rate in VCO group (87.5%) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that in trabeculectomy group (70.0%). The early transient complications such as shallow anterior chamber and encysted blebs were significantly (P < 0.01) more common in trabeculectomy group than in VCO group.

CONCLUSIONS

VCO appears to have long term advantages over trabeculectomy in terms of complete success rate, IOP control, and less early transient postoperative complications in POAG.