title: [Intermediate-term and long-term clinical evaluation of the Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the Intermediate-term and long-term clinical results of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation in refractory glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted to document 221 eyes from 206 patients with refractory glaucoma who undergone AGV implantation or combined AGV implantation with other intraocular surgery. The subject had a minimum 6 months of follow-up after surgery. According to the successful definition of AGV implantation, life table's analysis was used to assess the cumulative probabilities of success in different follow-up time. Cox regression analysis was performed to estimate the relationships between survival outcomes and multiple predictors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The follow-up ranged from 6.03 to 86.30 months (mean 36.86 months). The cumulative probabilities of success at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were (88.5 +/- 2.2)%, (85.0 +/- 2.5)%, (76.4 +/- 3.1)%, (66.2 +/- 3.7)%, (55.5 +/- 4.7)% and of total success at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were (91.2 +/- 1.9)%, (88.6 +/- 2.2)%, (88.6 +/- 2.2)%, (86.8 +/- 2.5)%, (86.8 +/- 2.5)%, respectively. Intraocular pressure was reduced from a preoperative mean of (44.59 +/- 13.04) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) to a postoperative mean of (16.52 +/- 4.61) mm Hg (P < 0.01). The early major complications included transient hypotony (19.5%), shallow anterior chamber (14.5%), tube blockage (11.3%), hemorrhage (7.2%). The late major complications were encapsulated bleb (10.9%), exposure of tube (5.0%), tube malposition (4.5%), corneal decompensation (2.3%), extrusion of implant (1.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AGV or combined AGV with other intraocular surgery is effective and relatively safe method for treating refractory glaucoma. The rates of success can be increased by means of effective management of the complications.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tongren Ophthalmic Center, Capital University of Medical Sciences. Beijing 100730, China. chenhong1@trhos.com
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shu-xin
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ding
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ning-li
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity