Short-term clinical study on a new aqueous humor drainage implant for refractory glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the therapeutic effect of a new aqueous humor drainage (HAD) implant made in China for the treatment of refractory glaucoma.

METHODS

The implant was designed by ourselves and manufactured by Beijing Rubber Products Design and Research Institute. From July, 1993 to September, 1995, we observed 40 patients (41 eyes) with refractory glaucoma treated by implantation surgery, including 16 eyes with neovascular glaucoma (NVG) and 25 eyes with non-neovascular glaucoma (NNVG).

RESULTS

The mean period of postoperative follow-up was 9.2 (range, from 3-27) months, the intraocular pressure (IOP) was lowered from preoperative 7.20 +/- 1.51 kPa to postoperative 2.40 +/- 1.33 kPa in NVG group and from preoperative 6.27 +/- 1.07 kPa to postoperative 2.00 +/- 2.93 kPa in NNVG group. The success rate was 81% in NVG group and 84% in NNVG group. The common postoperative complications were flat anterior chamber, hyphema and choroidal detachment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our newly designed aqueous humor drainage implant is an economical implant in China and one of the alternative and effective methods for the treatment of refractory glaucoma. It can be widely used in clinics.