title: Intravitreal bevacizumab and Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation in patients with neovascular glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the efficacy of preoperative intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection combined with Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma (NVG).
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 35 eyes from 35 patients who underwent preoperative IVB and AGV implantation for treatment of NVG. Findings such as intraocular pressure (IOP) number of anti-glaucoma medications, visual acuity (VA), surgical success rates, and complications were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After AGV implantation, IOP was 18.2±4.0 mm Hg, 15.5±3.3 mm Hg and 9.8±2.6 mm Hg at 6, 12 and 36mo, significantly decreased compared with pre-IOP (P<0.01). The number of anti-glaucoma medications was 0.9±0.5, 0.8±0.9 and 0.8±0.6 at 6, 12 and 36mo, significantly decreased compared to pre-treatment (P<0.01). At last visit, there were 19 eyes with stable VA, 4 with VA improvement, 12 with diminished VA and 3 with complete loss light perception. There were 7 cases that failed during 3-year fellow up period. Cumulative probabilities of valve survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis were 82.9%, 74.1% and 71.0% at 12, 24 and 36mo, respectively. Cox stepwise regression analysis found that the survival time was significant associated with the pre-visual acuity <2/400 (P<0.05). Post-operative complications occurred in 8 eyes, of which hyphema presented in 2 eyes, choroidal effusion in 2 eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The procedure of preoperative IVB and AGV implantation should be one of treatments for NVG because of its safety and effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang 453100, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang 453100, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang 453100, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang 453100, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Rui-Min
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang 453100, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Bao-Jun
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang 453100, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Xi
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Hu
keywords: Ahmed glaucoma valve; bevacizumab; intravitreal injection; neovascular glaucoma