Delayed suprachoroidal hemorrhage after glaucoma filtration procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of, risk factors for, and outcomes of delayed suprachoroidal hemorrhage (DSCH) after glaucoma filtration surgery.


METHODS
Retrospective case-control study.


METHODS
All patients undergoing glaucoma filtration procedures between 1986 and 2000 at Indiana University who were diagnosed postoperatively with suprachoroidal hemorrhage. A total of 66 patients with DSCH were identified. These were compared with a randomly selected group of patients who underwent similar procedures but did not have suprachoroidal hemorrhage.


METHODS
Total cases of DSCH were initially compared with the total number of glaucoma surgeries to determine the overall incidence and the incidence in the different procedures. Subsequently, a case-control study was performed comparing the group with hemorrhage to the control group to identify risk factors. Finally, outcomes and prognostic factors were determined by comparing vision preoperatively and postoperatively and parameters of patients with good and poor outcomes.


METHODS
Incidence of DSCH, risk factors associated with its occurrence, visual outcomes, and factors important for prognosis.


RESULTS
Of a total of 2285 glaucoma filtration procedures, 66 (2.9%) cases of DSCH were identified. It developed in 9 of 615 (1.5%) trabeculectomies without antimetabolite, 30 of 1248 (2.4%) trabeculectomies with antimetabolite, 2 of 72 (2.8%) valved tube shunt implantations, and 25 of 350 (7.1%) nonvalved tube shunt implantations. The increased incidence of DSCH after tube shunts compared with trabeculectomy-associated DSCH was significant (P < 0.0001) with an odds ratio of 3.2. The risk factors for DSCH after glaucoma surgery include white race (P = 0.012), anticoagulation (P = 0.034), severe postoperative hypotony (P = 0.033), and aphakia/anterior chamber intraocular lens (P = 0.002). The visual outcomes of patients with hemorrhage were poor, with a decrease in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity from 0.72 to 1.36, which was statistically significant compared with the controls (P < 0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
Delayed suprachoroidal hemorrhage occurs more frequently after tube shunt implantation than after trabeculectomy. Caution should be exercised when operating on patients with known risk factors, because the visual outcomes after DSCH are poor.
Tuli
S S
SS
Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
WuDunn
D
D
Ciulla
T A
TA
Cantor
L B
LB
D000368:Aged; D000963:Antimetabolites / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002832:Choroid Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000963:Antimetabolites