Epithelial barrier function of the filtering bleb conjunctiva and the cornea after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate epithelial barrier function of the filtering bleb conjunctiva and the cornea after trabeculectomy with adjunct, intraoperative mitomycin C, by using a newly developed slit-lamp fluorophotometer.


METHODS
Thirteen patients with normal-tension glaucoma with a cystic filtering bleb who had undergone unilateral trabeculectomy with mitomycin C only once at least 1 year previously were subjected to the study. Epithelial barrier function of the bleb conjunctiva and the cornea in the operated eye was evaluated using an Anterior Fluorometer FL-500 to measure the uptake of topically applied fluorescein.


RESULTS
Fluorescein uptake (nanograms per milliliter, mean +/- standard error) by the bleb conjunctiva (1,857 +/- 380) was not significantly different from either the uptake by the superior bulbar conjunctiva in the operated eyes, located approximately 90 degrees C away from the filtering bleb (1,974 +/- 258), or the uptake by the conjunctiva in the intact eyes, located symmetrically against the bleb (1,913 +/- 248). The corneal uptake in the operated eye (56.1 +/- 10.2) was not significantly different from that in the intact eye (53.5 +/- 8.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Epithelial barrier function of the cystic filtering bleb conjunctiva and the cornea long after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C was demonstrated to be almost identical to that of the control.
Taniguchi
T
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Yamamoto
T
T
Mochizuki
K
K
Haque
M S
MS
Kitazawa
Y
Y
Yokoi
N
N
Komuro
A
A
Kinoshita
S
S
D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D003315:Cornea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004848:Epithelium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D014130:Trabeculectomy; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D005452:Fluoresceins; D016685:Mitomycin; C015173:dipivefrin; D019793:Fluorescein; D004837:Epinephrine