title: Ocular decompression devices: liquid mercury balloon vs the tungsten powder balloon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if an intraocular pressure (IOP)-reducing device containing tungsten powder decreases pressure comparably to the traditional mercury-containing apparatus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized, single-blind, controlled, phase I equivalence study.
  
  
  METHODS
  At a tertiary care center, both eyes of 24 volunteers with normal IOP were treated with an ocular compression device containing either liquid mercury or tungsten powder. The IOP was measured at baseline and after 10 minutes of ocular compression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean reduction in IOP was 3.6 mm Hg +/- 2.0 with the mercury-containing device and 4.4 mm Hg +/- 2.1 with the tungsten-filled apparatus. An equivalence study analysis using a paired t-test and a sequential analysis protocol did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the IOP-lowering effects of the two devices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IOP-lowering effect produced by a tungsten powder-filled balloon ocular decompression device compared with a traditional mercury-containing device was not statistically different.
authors.affiliation: ABLEH, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, FL 33136, USA. Sgayer@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gayer
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Denham
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alarakhia
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernal
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardenas
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Parel
mesh_terms: D001458:Bandages; D002404:Catheterization; D003664:Decompression / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008628:Mercury; D011208:Powders; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D014414:Tungsten
chemical_list: D011208:Powders; D008628:Mercury; D014414:Tungsten