title: Internal reflectivity of filtering blebs versus intraocular pressure in patients with recent trabeculectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors conducted a morphology analysis of filtering blebs with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in patients shortly after trabeculectomy to find further criteria for success or failure of a filtering bleb.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients (43 eyes) who had recently (<2 years) undergone trabeculectomy were measured 1 to 4 times with AS-OCT. In contrast to ultrasound biomicroscopy, AS-OCT eliminates the need for a water bath in contact with the globe. This is of particular value in a study of morphologic parameters that may be altered by contact and in the postoperative period when concerns of infection are paramount. In this study, the internal reflectivity of the fluid-filled cavity of the filtering bleb was compared with the intraocular pressure (IOP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the patients was 69.5 years (range, 27-84 years). Average preoperative IOP of the 43 eyes was 20.6 mm Hg (range, 10-42 mm Hg), average postoperative IOP at the time of AS-OCT measurement was 10.6 mm Hg (range, 2-40 mm Hg), and mean IOP reduction was 10.0 mm Hg (48.5%). Internal reflectivity of the fluid-filled cavity of the filtering bleb correlated very well to the IOP (R(2) = 0.3762, n = 61, P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AS-OCT is a promising tool with which to analyze the morphology of the filtering bleb after trabeculectomy. A highly significant correlation between the internal reflectivity of the fluid-filled cavity of the filtering bleb and the IOP could be shown that may have future impact in evaluating the postoperative success or failure of filtering blebs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. lukas.pfenninger@ksw.ch
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pfenninger
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Funk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic; D008875:Middle Aged; D019738:Surgically-Created Structures / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014130:Trabeculectomy