CLINICAL RESULTS WITH THE TRABECTOME, A NOVEL SURGICAL DEVICE FOR TREATMENT OF OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA

Results: Mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) in the initial 101 patients was 27.6 ± 7.2 mm Hg. Thirty months postoperatively, mean IOP was 16.3 ± 3.3 mm Hg (n = 11). The mean percentage drop over the whole course of follow-up was 40%. At all times postoperatively, the absolute and percent decrease in IOP from preoperative levels were statistically significant (paired t test, P < .0001). Overall success (IOP ≤ 21 mm Hg with or without medications and no subsequent surgery) was 84%. Nine eyes subsequently underwent trabeculectomy, two others had IOP greater than 21 mm Hg in spite of resuming topical medications, and the rest of the patients either refused to resume medications or were still in the 1-month postoperative period without medications (total failure rate including trabeculectomies, 16/101 = 16%). Intraoperative reflux bleeding occurred in 100% of cases. Complications have been minimal and not vision-threatening. Conclusions: The Trabectome facilitates minimally invasive and effective glaucoma surgery, which spares the conjunctiva and does not preclude subsequent standard filtering procedures.