Tube Length Adjustment and Tube Trimming Technique in Refractory Glaucoma

Abstract EN

Secondary glaucoma may develop after vitreoretinal surgery as it is a known risk factor for its development.

When the risk factors are more than one, for instance along with neovascular glaucoma (NVG), the secondary glaucoma may become recalcitrant and very difficult to manage.

Surgical intervention is often warranted to control intraocular pressure (IOP) and prevent progressive glaucomatous damage in patients with refractory glaucoma, and glaucoma drainage implant may be preferred as the primary choice.

We describe a patient who develop secondary glaucoma after vitrectomy and silicone oil (SO) injection due to unresolved vitreous hemorrhage in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and subsequent NVG.

Baerveldt glaucoma implant (BGI) was carried out and placed in the superotemporal quadrant with longer anterior chamber tube placement to prevent escape of SO through the tube.

Qualified success was achieved with additional one fixed-drug combination (FDC).

However, 3 years later, the tube was blocked by the iris tissue at the inferior edge of the pupil.

Tube trimming was performed efficiently using a simple technique.

The distal end of the tube was pulled out of the anterior chamber through a paracentesis just next to the tube entrance and trimmed to the appropriate length.

More than a year after the surgery, IOP was still well controlled with the same FDC.

Unfortunately, the visual acuity could not be recovered due to advanced PDR.