Intraoperative mitomycin C and the corneal endothelium.

PURPOSE

Mitomycin-C (MMC) is a useful adjunct to high risk glaucoma surgery. No clinical data regarding the deleterious effect of mitomycin-C on the corneal endothelial cells are available.

METHODS

Thirty eyes of 28 adult patients with high risk glaucomas were randomized to three groups. Group-I underwent a trabeculectomy alone, Group II, trabeculectomy with intraoperative 0.2mg/ml MMC and Group III, trabeculectomy with intraoperative 0.4mg/ml MMC. Preoperative and 3-month postoperative corneal endothelial cell counts were analysed.

RESULTS

The percentage cell loss in Group I was 3.73+/-2.73%, in Group II 13.90+/-4.69% and in Group III 14.52+/-7.8%. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in cell loss between Group I and Group II and Group I and Group III, but not between Group II and Group III.

CONCLUSION

There is a significant loss of corneal endothelial cells three months after trabeculectomy with adjunctive MMC.