Autologous blood injection for late-onset filtering bleb leak.
OBJECTIVE
To report the outcomes of autologous blood injections for late-onset filtering bleb leak.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review of all eyes that had autologous blood injection(s) for filtering bleb leak occurring at least 2 months after trabeculectomy at the Indiana University Medical Center. Successful treatment was defined as resolution of the bleb leak and no need for additional glaucoma medications. Failure was defined as a persistent bleb leak, intraocular pressure greater than 21 mm Hg, or the occurrence of a vision-threatening event related to the procedure.


RESULTS
Thirty-two eyes of 31 patients had autologous blood injection for filtering bleb leak and were followed for a mean of 4.9 months (SD, 9.2; range, 1 to 37 months). Twenty-three eyes (72%) were outright failures because of persistence of the leak. Nine eyes (28%) had an initially successful outcome, but the success rate decreased over time as bleb leaks recurred in three of the nine eyes at 5, 6, and 37 months. No patient characteristics correlated with outcome. Mean intraocular pressure increased from pretreatment to final examination (4.5 to 6.5 mm Hg, P =.003). Mean logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) vision remained unchanged from pretreatment to final examination (P =.55). Blood seepage into the anterior chamber after autologous blood injection was common but transient.


CONCLUSIONS
Autologous blood injection is of limited success in treating late-onset filtering bleb leak.
Burnstein
A
A
Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
WuDunn
D
D
Ishii
Y
Y
Jonescu-Cuypers
C
C
Cantor
L B
LB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001769:Blood; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome