title: Retinectomy for treatment of intractable glaucoma: long term results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report long term efficacy and complications of retinectomy as an intraocular pressure lowering procedure for intractable glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a consecutive interventional case series. In 44 consecutive eyes (39 patients, 22 men and 17 women) retinectomy was performed to lower the intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with uncontrolled IOP (>35 mm Hg for more than 4 months) despite conventional filtering surgery and drug treatment. Pars plana vitrectomy was performed and the peripheral retina was surgically excised to various degrees. The procedure was concluded by an intraocular gas tamponade of 20% C(3)F(8). Included were patients with neovascular glaucoma (12 eyes), infantile and juvenile glaucoma (three eyes), secondary glaucoma due to aphakia (13 eyes), severe ocular trauma (seven eyes), uveitis (seven eyes), and glaucoma in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (two).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients underwent successful surgical retinectomy. All patients were followed for 5 years. Mean postoperative IOP after 4 years was 15.7 (SD 9.4) mm Hg, representing a decrease of IOP by 61% compared to the preoperative level (41.2 (9.4) mm Hg). In 52.3% of eyes long term regulation of IOP could be achieved without complications. Retinectomy was least effective in neovascular glaucoma because of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Eyes with glaucoma secondary to uveitis showed a tendency towards low IOP levels with subsequent phthisis bulbi. The initial visual acuity of all patients was lower than 20/50 (mean 1.8 (0.8) logMAR) in the treated eye. Final visual acuity was 2.3 (0.6) logMAR. 21 out of 44 cases developed retinal complications (retinal detachment or proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR)) after surgery, requiring silicone tamponade in 11 eyes (52%) either for persistent low IOP or for PVR. Nine eyes developed phthisis, seven of which were enucleated during the follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long term results after retinectomy demonstrate its efficacy in otherwise intractable glaucoma. Efficacy and safety of retinectomy are dependent on the underlying disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, Center of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Joussen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Jonescu-Cuypers
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Poulaki
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Bartz-Schmidt
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Krieglstein
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirchhof
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015355:Glaucoma, Neovascular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012086:Reoperation; D012160:Retina / Q000601:surgery*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012827:Silicone Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012827:Silicone Oils