Non-absorbable implants better in the long-term

The use of implants in deep sclerectomy enhances success rates and lowers the need for postoperative medications, according to Petr Strnad, MD and colleagues from the Masaryk University, Czech Republic.

They conducted a retrospective review of 86 eyes of 56 patients who had undergone deep sclerectomy, with at least five-years follow-up. The patients were divided into three groups according to the type of surgery. The first group underwent deep sclerectomy without implant (40 eyes, 26 patients); the second underwent deep sclerectomy with an absorbable collagen implant (24 eyes, 16 patients) and the third group underwent deep sclerectomy with a non-absorbable implant (22 eyes, 14 patients).

The average preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) of the three groups was recorded at 25.3, 25.9 and 23.7 mmHg, respectively and the number of anti-glaucoma medications was 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4. Mean follow-up time was 81.6, 78 and 69.8 months, respectively.

Average IOP, at the end of the follow-up period, was 17.25 mmHg for the group with no implant, 16.7 mmHg for those with the absorbable implant and 16.5 mmHg for those with the non-absorbable implant. The number of anti-glaucoma medications was 2.1, 1.6 and 0.8, respectively.

The researchers discovered that patients who received an implant during surgery achieved better outcomes than those who did not and that non-absorbable implants, in particular, offered better long-term IOP compensation than absorbable implants.