title: A prospective randomised trial of viscocanalostomy with and without implantation of a reticulated hyaluronic acid implant (SKGEL) in open angle glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively assess the efficacy and complications of viscocanalostomy with a reticulated hyaluronic acid implant (VSRHAI) versus standard viscocanalostomy in patients with medically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of 40 patients (40 eyes) with uncontrolled open angle glaucoma underwent non-penetrating antiglaucomatous surgery. After the excision of the deep scleral flap they were randomly assigned to either a standard viscocanalostomy or additional implantation of a reticulated hyaluronic acid implant. Follow up visits were over a period of 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 26.5 (SD 6.1) mm Hg for all patients enrolled. The mean IOP was 8.1 (SD 5.6) mm Hg 1 day after surgery for the viscocanalostomy group (p<0.001) and 12.0 (SD 5.2) mm Hg for the VSRHAI group (p<0.001). The postoperative IOP difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.03). The success rate, defined as an IOP lower than 22 mm Hg without medication, was 40% in both groups at 12 months postoperatively (p = 0.90). The number of postoperative complications was equally low for both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both surgical procedures, viscocanalostomy and VSRHAI, provide comparable success rates over a 1 year follow up period. The specific intraoperative and postoperative complications of non-penetrating surgery were seen in our series, although the overall rate of postoperative complications proved equally low for both techniques.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität Köln, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 9, D-50924 Köln, Germany. christoph.lueke@uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lüke
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Dietlein
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Jacobi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Konen
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Krieglstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012599:Sclerostomy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid