[How successful is the filtering bleb "needling"?].
BACKGROUND
"Needling" may become necessary when filtering blebs fail due to scarring or encapsulation. Our goal was to calculate the medium term success rate of the needling procedure.


METHODS
The results of 90 needling procedures performed on 58 eyes were analyzed, 52 eyes required one single needling (group 1) after simple trabeculectomy, whereas 19 eyes had to have double needling (group 2) and 3 eyes had to be needled 3 times (group 3). These figures do not include a 4th group of 16 eyes which had been needled after repeated and complicated surgery. Success rates were calculated at t1 = 0 - 1 day, t2 = 1 - 4 weeks, t3 = 4 - 8 weeks, t4 = 3 - 5 months and t5 = > 6 months after the treatment.


RESULTS
The mean IOP (n = 90) was 29 +/- 6 mm Hg preoperatively, 15 +/- 10 mm Hg at t1, 23 +/- 9 mm Hg at t2, 20 +/- 7 mm Hg at t3, 17 +/- 5 at t4 and 17 +/- 3 at t5. The overall success rates were 80% (t1), 45% (t2), 37% (t3), 35% (t4) and 31% (t5). The corresponding success rates were 74%, 36%, 32%, 28% and 26% for group 1.89%, 52%, 37%, 37% and 31% for group 2.67% at all times for group 3 and 100%, 69%, 54%, 54% and 45% for group 4.


CONCLUSIONS
In one third of all cases the needling is effective for more than 6 months. A complicated pressure lowering surgery does not necessarily diminish the effectiveness of a needling procedure. Re-needlings are as successful as the first one.
Meyer
J H
JH
Univ.-Augenklinik Freiburg.
Guhlmann
M
M
Funk
J
J
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D018463:Filtering Surgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D012599:Sclerostomy / Q000295:instrumentation; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000295:instrumentation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Wie erfolgreich ist das Sickerkissen-"Needling"?