title: Pars plana Ahmed valve and vitrectomy in patients with glaucoma associated with posterior segment disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the safety and efficacy of a modified technique for pars plana placement of the Ahmed valve in combination with pars plana vitrectomy in the treatment of glaucoma associated with posterior segment disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine eyes with glaucoma associated with posterior segment disease underwent pars plana vitrectomy combined with Ahmed valve placement. All valves were placed in the pars plana using a modified technique, without the pars plana clip, and using a scleral patch graft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 24 eyes diagnosed with neovascular glaucoma had an improvement in intraocular pressure from 37.6 mmHg to 13.8 mmHg and best-corrected visual acuity from 2.13 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution to 1.40 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution. Fifteen eyes diagnosed with steroid-induced glaucoma had an improvement in intraocular pressure from 27.9 mmHg to 14.1 mmHg and best-corrected visual acuity from 1.38 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution to 1.13 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution. Complications included four cases of cystic bleb formation and one case of choroidal detachment and explantation for hypotony.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ahmed valve placement through the pars plana during vitrectomy is an effective option for managing complex cases of glaucoma without the use of the pars plana clip.
authors.affiliation: Retina Macula Institute, Torrance, California.
authors.forename: Josh O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Wallsh
authors.forename: Ron P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Gallemore
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taban
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Behnam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sharareh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D015355:Glaucoma, Neovascular / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012599:Sclerostomy; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids