Experience with the baerveldt implant in young patients with complicated glaucomas.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies have suggested that glaucoma shunt implantation may be useful in the management of glaucoma in young patients in whom goniotomy and/or trabeculotomy have failed or are inappropriate. Herein, we describe our initial experience with Baerveldt implantation in young patients with complicated glaucomas.


METHODS
Charts of all patients with glaucoma who were under 21 years of age, and who underwent Baerveldt implantation between March 1, 1991 and March 1, 1993 with at least a 6-month follow-up (30 eyes of 30 patients) were reviewed retrospectively.


RESULTS
The patients' ages ranged from 2 months to 20 years (mean, 6.6 +/- 6.4 years) with follow-up of 6-25 months (mean, 15.0 +/- 6.3 months). Intraocular pressure (IOP) was reduced from a preoperative range of 17-78 mm Hg (mean, 35.5 +/- 13.1 mm Hg) to a range of 6-22 mm Hg (mean, 13.5 +/- 4.2 mm Hg) postoperatively. Six- and 12-month life-table success rates (6 +/- IOP +/- 21 without additional glaucoma surgery or devastating complication) were 93% and 86%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Baerveldt implantation is a useful approach to the treatment of glaucoma in young patients with complicated glaucomas.
Fellenbaum
P S
PS
Doheny Eye Institute and the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California. U.S.A.
Sidoti
P A
PA
Heuer
D K
DK
Minckler
D S
DS
Baerveldt
G
G
Lee
P P
PP