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Background: Glaucoma is one of the major causes of irreversible blindness in the world, with trabeculectomy still being the primary surgical modality for the management of glaucoma. Glaucoma drainage devices (GDDs) have been conventionally used for the treatment of refractory glaucoma and are found to be beneficial in eyes with prior unsuccessful filtration surgeries and primary choice of surgery in certain glaucoma. Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) is a nonvalved device useful in refractory glaucoma to achieve low intraocular pressure (IOP). The device has been commercially available in India since 2013 and is like the Baerveldt glaucoma implant in design and function. AADI being the most economical and effective GDD in controlling IOP is becoming a popular choice among ophthalmologist in developing countries. AADI surgery has steep learning curve due to large end?plate surface area which needs a rigorous conjunctival dissection, muscle hooking, meticulous plate fixations, and careful tube ligations and insertion. There are different techniques of performing AADI surgery, but the authors have tried to simplify the complex surgery for easy and catchable learning of the procedure by novice surgeon with their experience and have elaborated a step?wise most effective way of performing surgery. Purpose: This video?based skill transfer depicts steps of AADI surgery with compilation of various modifications and authors’ tips and tricks to novice surgeons. Synopsis: This video depicts detailed steps of AADI surgery with micro?points and authors experience. Video also shows various tailor?made modifications of surgical techniques for different case scenarios. Highlights: Steps of AADI surgery, modifications, and surgical pearls.
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Purpose: To report the incidence, outcomes, and risk of surgical failure after early postoperative hypotony following Aurolab Aqueous Drainage Implant (AADI) surgery for adult and pediatric refractory glaucoma. Methods: Medical records of patients who underwent AADI between January 2013 and March 2017 with a minimum of 2?years follow?up were retrospectively reviewed. Early postoperative hypotony was defined as IOP ?5 mmHg within the first 3 months after AADI. Surgical failure of AADI was defined as IOP >21 mmHg or reduced <20% below baseline on two consecutive follow?up visits after 3 months, IOP ?5 mmHg on two consecutive follow?up visits after 3 months, reoperation for glaucoma or a complication, or loss of light perception vision. Results: Early postoperative hypotony was seen in 15/213 eyes (7%) in the adult group and in 6/101 eyes (6%) in the pediatric group. The onset of hypotony was significantly earlier in the pediatric group (median = 39 days post AADI, IQR = 20–58 days) compared with adult eyes (median = 51 days post AADI, IQR = 30–72 days) (P = 0.02). Eyes with early postoperative hypotony did not have an increased risk of cumulative surgical failure as compared with eyes without hypotony in both adult (33.3% vs. 23.7%; P = 0.48) and pediatric (33.3% vs. 13.7%; P = 0.16) refractory glaucoma. All eyes recovered from hypotony, though one adult eye developed retinal detachment and one pediatric eye developed corneal decompensation and lost vision. Conclusion: Early postoperative hypotony was an infrequent complication post AADI and occurred earlier in pediatric eyes. Early postoperative hypotony did not increase risk of surgical failure up to 2 years.
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Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the intraocular pressure (IOP) control and postoperative complications following a non?valved glaucoma drainage device (GDD) surgery in refractory glaucoma. Methods: This was a prospective interventional study conducted on patients with glaucoma refractory to maximal medications or failed surgical treatment who underwent Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI; Aurolabs, India) surgery. Primary outcome measures were IOP control, postoperative complications, and reduction in the number of antiglaucoma medications (AGM). Results: Thirty-four eyes were analyzed and the mean follow?up was 16.06 ± 5.63 months. The preoperative median (Q1, Q3) IOP was 31 mmHg (28, 36.5) which decreased to 12 mmHg (12, 14) at 6 months postoperatively. The median (Q1, Q3) number of AGMs decreased from 3 (3, 4) to 0 (0, 1). Significant complications like implant extrusion and tube exposure were noted in two eyes. The total success and failure rates at 6 months were 91.1% and 8.8%, respectively. Conclusion: AADI is effective in achieving target IOP and significantly reduces the use of AGMs with good safety in the short term. Long?term follow?up studies are needed to assess long?term IOP control and cost?effectiveness.
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Purpose: To analyze the incidence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in patients who have undergone prior Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) surgery and report outcomes in terms of anatomic, visual acuity, and intraocular pressure (IOP) findings. Methods: Case records of all patients who underwent RRD repair after AADI surgery from 2013 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Data collected included patient demographics, ocular examination findings at all visits including IOP and best?corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and clinical findings related to RRD both at baseline and postoperatively. Results: Ten eyes of nine patients were included in study. The mean age of patients was 28.2 years (median: 15 years, range: 6� years). Mean duration between AADI and RRD was 14 months (median 2.5 months; range 2 days?72 months). All eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy with silicon oil injection. The preoperative LogMAR BCVA (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) was 2.52 � 0.15 which improved to 2.29 � 0.58 at final follow?up; however, only one eye had vision ? 20/400 largely due to recurrent RRD and advanced glaucomatous disc damage. Postoperatively retina was attached in 6 eyes (60%) and IOP was ? 21 mmHg in 5 out of 6 eyes with anatomic success. Conclusion: The incidence of RRD following AADI was found to be 0.86% in our study. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with silicon oil tamponade was the preferred approach in the management of these eyes with IOP being well controlled post PPV. However, visual acuity outcomes were largely unsatisfactory due to recurrent RRD and preexisting advanced glaucoma
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Purpose: To report the outcomes of pars plana insertion of Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) in adults with refractory glaucoma by the novel technique of making scleral tunnel instead of patch graft to cover the tube to prevent its migration. Methods: A retrospective study was done between April 2016 and April 2018 on patients with ?12 months of follow?up. The main outcome measure was a surgical failure at 12 months. The failure was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) >18 mmHg or IOP ?5 mmHg on two consecutive follow?up visits after 3 months, reoperation for glaucoma, loss of light perception vision, or implant explantation. Alternate definitions of failure including IOP >21 and IOP >15 mmHg were also considered. Results: The study included 32 eyes of 32 patients. The mean age was 46.2 ± 17.5 years. The most common etiology is traumatic glaucoma (12 eyes, 37.5%). The mean preoperative IOP and anti?glaucoma medications were 43.3 ± 10.3 and 3.4 ± 0.5 mmHg, respectively; both the parameters at the final follow?up were reduced to 15.2 ± 8.1 and 1.6 ± 0.5 mmHg. The Kaplan–Meier survival estimates demonstrated that the cumulative probability of failure was 15.6% (95% CI; 6.8–33.5%) at 3 months, 18.7% (95% CI; 8.9–37.0%) at 6 months, and 25.0% (95% CI; 13.4–43.8%) at 12 months. Conclusion: Pars plana AADI implantation with a newer modification technique is a useful procedure in reducing IOP and the number of anti?glaucoma medications in the eyes with refractory glaucoma. The visual acuity may be stabilized with the concurrent treatment of posterior segment pathology
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Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of a nonvalved Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) in the management of refractory glaucoma. Methods: Retrospective case series of patients with refractory glaucoma underwent AADI implantation in posterior segment (PS group) or anterior chamber (AC group) with minimum follow-up of 1 year. Primary outcome criterion was success, defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) <18 or >6 mm Hg or IOP reduced to <20% from baseline, for two consecutive visits after 3 months. Failure was defined as inability to meet IOP criteria, any additional glaucoma surgery, loss of light perception, and implant explantation. Secondary outcome criteria compared groups based on mean IOP, mean glaucoma medication use, best-corrected visual acuity, and complications at each postoperative visit. Results: In the AC and PS group of 64 patients, 32 tubes each were placed. Preoperative mean IOP was 37.41 ± 8.6 and 43.38 ± 10.3 mm Hg in AC and PS, respectively. Postoperatively IOP reduced to 14.22 ± 4.9 and 15.21 ± 8.1 mm Hg in AC and PS groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Preoperative mean antiglaucoma medication changed from 2.56 ± 0.9 and 3.44 ± 0.5 to 1.03 ± 0.9 and 1.67 ± 0.5 in AC and PS, respectively, postoperatively (P < 0.001). No significant change in VA was noted in either group. At 12 months, success rate was 84% in AC group and 72% in PS group, with PS group having 2.63 times higher hazard (risk) of failure than AC group. Conclusion: AADI implantation in PS or AC is a safe and effective method for IOP control in refractory glaucoma with its low cost being of significance in developing countries.
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We report a novel simplified method for managing inadvertent tube cut in a patient undergoing the Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) surgery for refractory neovascular glaucoma. Tube cut occurred while applying the polyglactin ligature suture used to avoid early postoperative hypotony. The short end of the cut tube was removed and the long end reinserted into the base plate of AADI. The surgery was then completed as usual. Following the surgery, the intraocular pressure reduced to 20 mmHg which stabilized and was maintained at 10 mmHg till the last follow-up at 12 months without any glaucoma medication.
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Purpose: To report the intermediate-term safety and efficacy of Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) in patients with glaucoma. Methods: Retrospective review of patients who underwent AADI between January 2013 and December 2016. Patients aged >16 years and with a minimum follow-up of 6 months were included. Success was defined as complete when the intraocular pressure was ?6 and ?21 mmHg without antiglaucoma medication and as qualified if those requiring additional antiglaucoma medications were included. Results: The study included 55 patients (55 eyes) with a mean age � standard deviation (SD) of 47.3 � 18.1 years with a mean follow-up of 16.7 � 11.4 months. Mean intraocular pressure reduced from 30.8 � 11.1 mmHg to 13.1 � 4.7, 14.1 � 4.8, 15.7 � 2.5 (P < 0.001) mmHg at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively. The mean number of antiglaucoma medications reduced from 3.4 � 1 to 0.8 � 1.2, 0.7 � 1.1, 0.8 � 1 (P < 0.001) at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively. The cumulative probability of complete and qualified success was 62% and 100% at 6 months, 54% and 92% at 1 year, and 43% and 88% at 2 years, respectively. Four patients failed during the follow-up period. Postoperative complication occurred in 28 eyes (51%), of which 17 eyes (31%) required intervention. Conclusion: AADI is a safe and effective treatment for the control of intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma.
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Purpose: To study the efficacy of the Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) compared to Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) in patients with refractory glaucoma. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial. Thirty-eight adult patients (>18 years) scheduled for a glaucoma drainage device (GDD) were randomized into two groups to receive either AGV or AADI. Primary outcome measures: intraocular pressure (IOP) control and requirement of antiglaucoma medications; secondary outcome measures: final best correct visual acuity (log MAR), visual field (Visual field index [VFI], mean deviation [MD] and pattern standard deviation [PSD]), postoperative complications and additional interventions. Complete success was defined as IOP ?5–?18 mmHg without antiglaucoma medications/laser/additional glaucoma surgery or any vision threatening complications. Results: There were 19 age and sex-matched patients in each group. Both groups had comparable IOP before surgery (P = 0.61). The AGV group had significantly lower IOP compared to AADI group (7.05 ± 4.22 mmHg vs 17.90 ± 10.32 mmHg, P = <0.001) at 1 week. The mean postoperative IOP at 6 months was not significantly different in the two groups (13.3 ± 4.2 and 11.4 ± 6.8 mmHg respectively; P = 0.48). At 6 months, complete success rate according to antiglaucoma medication criteria was 78.94% in AADI and 47.36% in AGV groups. AGV group required 1.83 times more number of topical medications than AADI group. There was no significant difference in early (P = 0.75) and late (P = 0.71) postoperative complications in the AADI and AGV group. The complete success rate was higher in AADI group (68.42%) than AGV group (26.31%) (P = 0.034). Conclusion: In this study, AADI appears to have comparable efficacy versus AGV implant with higher complete success rate at 6 months follow-up.
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Purpose: The purpose of the study is to report the outcomes of simultaneous cataract extraction (CE) and a new nonvalved glaucoma drainage device (GDD), Aurolab Aqueous Drainage Implant (AADI), in eyes with cataract and refractory glaucoma. Methods: This was a non-comparative, interventional, retrospective study. Consecutive patients who underwent AADI together with phacoemulsification from June-2015 to January-2017 by a single fellowship trained glaucoma surgeon with documented 3-months of follow-up were included. The main outcomes were intraocular pressure (IOP), antiglaucoma medication (AGM), visual acuity, and complications. Results: We included 19 eyes of 17 patients with average follow-up of 14.4 ± 8.4 months. IOP and AGM reduced from 36.9 ± 11.1 mmHg and 4 ± 0.8 preoperatively to 12 ± 4.5 mmHg and 0.8 ± 1.2, respectively (P < 0.001). Complications were seen in seven eyes (36.8%). Total success was seen in 17 eyes (89.5%). None of the patients lost vision. Conclusion: Combining cataract extraction with the new non-valved Aurolab Aqueous Drainage Implant, appears to be an effective and safe technique in eyes with refractory glaucoma and cataract. Larger studies and further follow-up is recommended for such patients.