Two-year survival of Ahmed valve implantation in the first 2 years of life with and without intraoperative mitomycin-C.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of intraoperative mitomycin-C (MMC) on polypropylene Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) survival 2 years after implantation during the first 2 years of life.


METHODS
Retrospective institutional comparative series (1995-2005).


METHODS
Thirty-one eyes of 27 patients (23 unilateral, 4 bilateral; 16 boys, 11 girls) undergoing AGV implantation at a mean age of 11.1 months (standard deviation [SD], 5.46), all of which had 2 years of regular postoperative follow-up. MMC was applied intraoperatively in those cases in the area of AGV implantation in 16 (52%) and was not applied in 15 (48%). In some eyes, MMC was applied intraoperatively in cases done by the surgeons who routinely used MMC for all AGV implantation in young children.


METHODS
Failure was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) > 22 mmHg with or without glaucoma medications, the need for an additional procedure for IOP control, or the occurrence of significant complications (e.g., endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, persistent hypotony [IOP < 5 mmHg]). Survival was the absence of failure.


METHODS
Failure or significant complications as defined.


RESULTS
Mean survival for the non-MMC eyes (22.15 months; standard error [SE], 1.93) was significantly longer than survival for the MMC eyes (16.25 months; SE, 2.17) by the log-rank test (P = 0.025). The difference in cumulative survival at 2 years was also significantly different by log-rank test (P = 0.001): 80.0% (SE 10.3) and 31.3% (SE 11.6), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Rather than improved survival, intraoperative use of MMC was associated with shorter survival 2 years after AGV implantation during the first 2 years of life. We speculate that MMC-induced tissue death can stimulate a reactive fibrosis around the AGV in very young eyes.
Al-Mobarak
Faisal
F
The King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Khan
Arif O
AO
D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000151:congenital / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008297:Male; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000477:Alkylating Agents; D016685:Mitomycin