[The late results of the surgical treatment of glaucoma in patients with atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus].

In order to study effectiveness of surgical treatment in patients with glaucoma in association with atherosclerosis or diabetes mellitus, remote observations (from 1 to 8 years) were carried out over 216 patients operated at different stages of the glaucomatous process: at the initial stage--104 eyes, at the advanced--87, and the far-advanced--53 eyes. Sinusotrabeculectomy in the author's modification was used: at first the external wall of the Schlemm's canal was removed, then the trabecula was destroyed by a blunt spatula, gradually letting out the chamber aqueous. The observations carried out have shown that surgical treatment of glaucoma in patients with atherosclerosis is more effective at the initial and advanced stages. In patients with glaucoma and diabetes mellitus, surgical treatment was most effective in persons with initial stage of glaucoma. It should be noted here that surgical treatment at initial stage of glaucoma allows to preserve high visual functions for a long period of time. Stabilization of the process in persons operated at the initial stage was achieved in 95-97% of cases. This gives grounds to recommend surgical treatment of glaucoma in patients with atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus at the initial stage of the glaucomatous process. The fall of intraocular pressure is mainly connected with improvement of the aqueous outflow.