title: Ahmed glaucoma valve in eyes with preexisting episcleral encircling element.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To describe the use of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) in the management of intractable glaucoma in eyes with a preexisting episcleral encircling element.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective, consecutive, noncomparative study. The study included 12 eyes of 12 patients with a preexisting episcleral encircling element that underwent implantation of silicone AGV to treat intractable glaucoma during January 2009 to September 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean patient age was 25.6 (standard deviation 17.1) years. Five (41.6%) patients were monocular. The indications for AGV were varied. The mean duration between placement of episcleral encircling element and implantation of AGV was 30.5 (33.8) months. The mean follow-up was 37.4 (22.9) weeks. Preoperatively, the mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 31.4 (7.9) mmHg and the mean antiglaucoma medications were 2.8. At the final postoperative follow-up, the mean IOP was 12.5 (3.5) mmHg and the mean number of antiglaucoma medications was 0.8 (P < 0.001). The complications observed over the follow-up period did include corneal graft failure in three eyes, tube erosion in two eyes and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in one eye.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AGV is an effective option in the management of intractable glaucoma in eyes with a preexisting episcleral encircling element keeping in mind the possibility of significant postoperative complications.
authors.forename: Nikhil Shreeram
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Choudhari
authors.forename: Ronnie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Balekudaru
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shantha
authors.forename: Aditya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neog
authors.forename: Shweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: Bhaskar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.affiliation: Department of Glaucoma, Jadhavbhai Nathamal Singhvi, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Lingam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vijaya
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012590:Sclera / Q000601:surgery*; D012591:Scleral Buckling / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult