title: Surgical outcomes of different Ahmed Glaucoma Valve implantation methods between scleral graft and scleral flap.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the surgical outcomes of the two different methods used for Ahmed Glaucoma Valve (AGV) implantation between the donor scleral graft method and the partial-thickness scleral flap method.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 28 eyes of 26 patients diagnosed as neovascular glaucoma followed by AGV implantation. Based on the surgical method, the included eyes were divided into two groups. In the graft group (n = 18), the drainage tube was inserted into the anterior chamber, and then covered with preserved donor sclera. In the flap group (n = 10), the drainage tube was inserted under the partial-thickness scleral flap, and then covered with the flap. We compared the postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP), surgical success rates, and postoperative complications between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative IOP was not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.967, 0.495 at 12 months, 24 months, respectively, by the Mann-Whitney U-test). The mean success periods were 53.1 ± 10.1 months in the graft group versus 50.9 ± 9.4 months in the flap group (p = 0.882 by log rank test), and cumulative success rates were 77.8% and 80.0% at one year, respectively. However, tube migration occurred more frequently in the flap group than in the graft group (p = 0.037 by Fisher's exact test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In AGV surgery for neovascular glaucoma, the scleral graft method may be associated with relatively less complication about tube migration than the scleral flap method. The surgical results, however, were not statistically different.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ho Young
authors: HY
authors: Lee
authors: Jong Seok
authors: JS
authors: Park
authors: Yoon Jung
authors: YJ
authors: Choy
authors: Hyun Joo
authors: HJ
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018463:Filtering Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D015355:Glaucoma, Neovascular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012590:Sclera / Q000637:transplantation*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult