title: Postoperative Complications in the Ahmed Baerveldt Comparison Study During Five Years of Follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the late complications in the Ahmed Baerveldt Comparison Study during 5 years of follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter, prospective randomized clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  setting: Sixteen international clinical centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred seventy-six subjects aged 18-85 years with previous intraocular surgery or refractory glaucoma with intraocular pressure of >18 mm Hg.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ahmed Glaucoma Valve FP7 or Baerveldt Glaucoma Implant BG 101-350.
  
  
  METHODS
  Late postoperative complications (beyond 3 months), reoperations for complications, and decreased vision from complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Late complications developed in 56 subjects (46.8 ± 4.8 5-year cumulative % ± SE) in the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve group and 67 (56.3 ± 4.7 5-year cumulative % ± SE) in the Baerveldt Glaucoma Implant group (P = .082). The cumulative rates of serious complications were 15.9% and 24.7% in the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve and Baerveldt Glaucoma Implant groups, respectively (P = .034), although this was largely driven by subjects who had tube occlusions in the 2 groups (0.8% in the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve group and 5.7% in the Baerveldt Glaucoma Implant group, P = .037). Both groups had a relatively high incidence of persistent diplopia (12%) and corneal edema (20%), although half of the corneal edema cases were likely due to pre-existing causes other than the aqueous shunt. The incidence of tube erosion was 1% and 3% in the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve and Baerveldt Glaucoma Implant groups, respectively (P = .04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term rates of vision-threatening complications and complications resulting in reoperation were higher in the Baerveldt Glaucoma Implant than in the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve group over 5 years of follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Electronic address: dbudenz@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Donald L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Budenz
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Feuer
authors.affiliation: NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Division of Epidemiology and Genetics, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schiffman
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vital P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Associates of Texas, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Godfrey
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Yvonne M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Buys
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D014792:Visual Acuity