Ahmed Valve Implantation with Adjunctive Mitomycin C and 5-Fluorouracil: Outcomes at One Year

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome after Ahmed valve implantation in patients with neovascular glaucoma when using intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC) and postoperative 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). METHODS: A total of 40 eyes of 40 patients with neovascular glaucoma who received antiglacomatous medication without previous glaucoma surgery were included in the present study. The patients received Ahmed valve implantation and intraoperative MMC and postoperative 5-FU. Failure was defined as the first occurrence of any of the following 1) the first of three consecutive visits where intraocular pressure (IOP) was >18 mmHg or 20% IOP reduction from baseline and the final number of topical medication did not reduce by at least two from baseline, 2) the need for additional surgery, or 3) the occurrence of a serious complication. RESULTS: The cumulative success rate was 77.5% at 12 months. The final number of topical medication after Ahmed valve implantation was 0.73+/-0.78, and the change in the number of medication from baseline was -2.18+/-0.84. Serious complications such as endophthalmitis, valve exposure or prolonged hypotony were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: The adjunctive use of intraoperative MMC and postoperative 5-FU with Ahmed valve implantation results in a high success rate and good IOP control and did not show serious complications within the postoperative period.