Microstent reduces medication use

The open study enrolled 69 patients at 7 centres. Forty eyes underwent microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) alone and 29 had combination phacoemulsification. After one year of follow-up in both subgroups, both mean IOP and mean medication use were significantly reduced from baseline. No serious complications occurred and there were no cases of device migration or perforation.

"MIGS is an evolving therapeutic option conceived to treat glaucoma surgically more safely than trabeculectomy while still maintaining traditional options," claimed Dr Samuelson, founding partner, Minnesota Eye Consultants, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, and medical monitor for the multinational study. "However, the MIGS procedures are often performed in conjunction with cataract extraction, which makes it difficult to know what is the pressure effect from the MIGS procedure itself.

"Not only does the stent occupy nearly 8 mm of Schlemm's canal, providing access for aqueous to multiple collector channels, but it also dilates the canal," Dr Samuelson said. "Laboratory studies have shown that this true stenting further improves aqueous outflow."