title: [Valve implants of glaucoma pressure regulator for refractory glaucoma: own experience].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present our experiences in valve implantation for refractory glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 1993 to December 1996 implantations of Glaucoma Pressure Regulator Optimed were performed in 7 eyes of 7 patients. There were 4 men and 3 women aged from 32 to 65 years. There were 3 eyes with neovascular glaucoma due to diabetes mellitus, 2 eyes with posttraumatic glaucoma, including 1 case after keratoplasty, 1 eye with postkeratoplasty glaucoma and 1 eye with aphakic glaucoma. Preoperative IOPs ranged from 33 to 61 mm Hg (mean 37.6 +/- 7.2 mm Hg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Success was considered an IOP of less than 22 mm Hg without medication (complete success) or with medication (qualified success) without additional filtering surgery. Postoperative success was obtained in 4 out of 7 eyes after follow-up period of 37.4 +/- 17.08 months (range 16-39 months). Early complications were hyphema (1 patient, 14.3%), blockage of intracameral portion of the tube (1 patient, 14.3%), hypertony (1 patient, 14.3%). Late complications were: external conjunctival bleb failure (2 patients, 28.6%), blockage of intracameral portion of tube by fibrovascular tissue (1 patient, 14.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experiences confirm that the valve implant is still today an alternative surgical procedure for controlling IOP in eyes with refractory glaucoma that have visual potential.
authors.affiliation: Oddziału Okulistycznego Wojewódzkiego Szpitala Specjalistycznegó.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Romaniuk
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kozioł
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kozera
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wylegała
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zabierzewska-Perenc
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muskalski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology