title: Ultrasound evaluation of glaucoma drainage devices in children.
abstract: This study evaluated B-scan ultrasound as a technique for assessing glaucoma drainage device (GDD) patency/function in refractory pediatric glaucoma. We retrospectively evaluated 70 eyes of 52 patients after Ahmed (n = 40 eyes), Baerveldt (n = 27 eyes) and Molteno (n = 5 eyes) GDD implantation; 2 eyes each had 2 GDDs. Median age was 6.5 years. Glaucoma diagnoses included primary congenital glaucoma (n = 19) and secondary glaucoma associated with aphakia (n = 16), aniridia (n = 5), Peters anomaly (n = 3), uveitis (n = 2), and other conditions (n = 7). B-scan ultrasound evaluation proved helpful to clinical assessment when the GDD tube was not seen because of opaque corneas (n = 20 eyes), the bleb was not visualized (n = 21 eyes), or IOP was elevated (n = 28 eyes). Ultrasound findings suggesting a nonpatent or malfunctioning GDD were further confirmed by subsequent intraoperative bleb needling (n = 2 eyes) and GDD revision (n = 7 eyes). B-scan ultrasound evaluation can serve as a useful adjunct in evaluating GDD patency/function in selected eyes with refractory pediatric glaucoma and may aid in clinical management.
authors.affiliation: The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Nafees B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.affiliation: Raleigh Eye Center, Raleigh, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Alice A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Duke Eye Center, Durham, North Carolina. Electronic address: sharon.freedman@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Sharon F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Freedman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult