Vitrectomy and Ahmed Valve Implantation in Neovascular Glaucoma Patients with Vitreous Hemorrhage

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare the surgical outcomes between sequential -and simultaneous combined vitrectomy and Ahmed valve implantation (AVI) in neovascular glaucoma (NVG) patients with vitreous hemorrhage. METHODS: The medical records of 22 eyes of 22 patients, who had NVG with vitreous hemorrhage treated with vitrectomy and AVI, were retrospectively reviewed. Surgical success was defined as 6 mm Hg < or = IOP < or = 21 mm Hg, with or without the use of antiglaucoma medications and failure was defined as cases that had no light perception during the study period and which required additional surgery. The authors of the present study evaluated the surgical success rates and factors affecting surgical success between sequential and simultaneous combined vitrectomy and AVI. RESULTS: The cumulative surgical success rate by the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was 45% in sequential combined vitrectomy and AVI (group1), and 18% in combined vitrectomy and AVI (group 2), at 1 year, a significant difference. Preoperative panretinal photocoagulation was related to surgical success rate by Cox's regression model analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous combined vitrectomy and AVI is considered as a primary procedure in a patient who has NVG with vitreous hemorrhage. Panretinal photocoagulation in the preoperative periods, is thought to increase the surgical success rate.