Outcomes of inferonasal Baerveldt glaucoma drainage implant surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the outcomes of inferonasal Baerveldt glaucoma implant (BGI) surgery.


METHODS
A retrospective, non-comparative case series of 182 eyes of 182 patients who underwent inferonasal placement of a Baerveldt glaucoma implant. The main outcome measures included intraocular pressure, number of glaucoma medications, best corrected visual acuity, and complications.


RESULTS
Patients were followed for an average (+/- SD) of 19 +/- 15 months. Median Snellen visual acuity was unchanged at last follow-up. Intraocular pressure was reduced from a mean (+/- SD) of 28.6 +/- 11.5 mm Hg preoperatively to 13.4 +/- 5.7 mm Hg at most recent follow-up (P < 0.001). The number of antiglaucoma medications was reduced from a mean (+/- SD) of 2.7 +/- 1.3 preoperatively to 1.1 +/- 1.1 at most recent follow-up. Nineteen eyes met our criteria for failure, yielding a cumulative percent survival of 92% at 12 months, 88% at 24 months, and 77% at 44 months. The most common complications were hyphema (14 eyes, 8%), choroidal effusion (12 eyes, 7%), and corneal decompensation (19 eyes, 10%). Endophthalmitis and diplopia occurred rarely (1 eye, <1%; 3 eyes, 2%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Inferonasal Baerveldt glaucoma implant placement appears to be a safe and effective surgical option that may be helpful in certain clinical situations.
Harbick
Kara Hoffman
KH
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, USA.
Sidoti
Paul A
PA
Budenz
Donald L
DL
Venkatraman
Anna
A
Bruther
Megan
M
Grayson
Douglas K
DK
Ko
Anne
A
Yi
Glara N
GN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity