The effect of adjunctive Mitomycin C in Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of adjunctive mitomycin C (MMC) in Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation for refractory glaucoma.


METHODS
Twenty-two eyes of 22 patients who underwent AGV implantation with adjunctive MMC (0.5 mg/ml) for 3 minutes (Group A) were compared to a control group of 26 eyes of 26 patients (Group B) who received AGV implantation without MMC. Nine patients were female and 13 patients were male in Group A and 11 patients were female and 15 patients were male in Group B. The mean age was 56 years ranging from 13 to 77 in Group A and 58 ranging from 14 to 71 years in Group B. Success was defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) between 4 and 21 mmHg with or without glaucoma medication and with no additional glaucoma surgery, phthisis, or loss of light perception.


RESULTS
The probability of success at 1 year was 86.36% and 80.76% in Group A and Group B, respectively. The number of glaucoma medications decreased from 2.82 to 0.56 in Group A and from 2.65 to 0.73 in Group B. Postoperative hypotony as an early complication was higher in Group A (31.81% in Group A and 15.38% in Group B). As a late postoperative complication, tube exposure developed in 3 patients (13.63%) in Group A and no such complication was seen in Group B. There was no statistically significant difference in success and complication rates between the two groups (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Although adjunctive MMC in AGV implantation is safe and effective, it may not offer a better chance of surgical success compared with AGV implantation without MMC.
Kurnaz
E
E
Department of Ophthalmology, Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul - Turkey. ekremkurnaz@hotmail.com
Kubaloglu
A
A
Yilmaz
Y
Y
Koytak
A
A
Ozertürk
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012449:Safety; D012590:Sclera / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D016685:Mitomycin