Intraocular pressure control and complications with two-stage insertion of the Baerveldt implant.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP) control and the prevalence of complications associated with the two-stage insertion of the Baerveldt implant.


METHODS
Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.


METHODS
We reviewed the medical records of all patients who underwent the two-stage Baerveldt implantation for advanced glaucoma between January 1995 and November 1998 at the Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, California. All eyes with a minimum of 6 months of follow-up were included in the study. Eyes that failed before 6 months after stage II were also included in the study.


METHODS
The criterion for surgical success was postoperative IOP of 6 mmHg or more and 21 mmHg or less on two or more consecutive measurements with or without the use of glaucoma medications and without loss of light perception or further surgical intervention to lower IOP.


RESULTS
Nineteen eyes from 19 patients were included. Median postoperative follow-up was 17 months (range, 3-56 months). The cumulative probability of success was 89% at both 12 and 24 months. The median preoperative IOP of 21 mmHg (range, 12-33 mmHg) was reduced to a median postoperative IOP of 12 mmHg (range, 1-17 mmHg; P < 0.0001). The median number of glaucoma medications before surgery was three and after surgery was one (P < 0.0001). Visual acuity remained the same or improved in 13 eyes (68%). One eye experienced hypotony (5%), and in two eyes (11%) suprachoroidal hemorrhages developed.


CONCLUSIONS
The two-stage insertion of the Baerveldt implant effectively reduced IOP, produced few complications, and preserved visual acuity in more than two thirds of eyes with advanced glaucomatous damage.
Tong
Ly
L
Doheny Eye Institute and the Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1450 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Frazao
Karys
K
LaBree
Laurie
L
Varma
Rohit
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity