Safety and efficacy of bilateral simultaneous XEN implant surgery: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the bilateral simultaneous XEN (BISIXEN) surgery in open-angle glaucoma patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of a prospective data base conducted on uncontrolled glaucoma patients who underwent BISIXEN surgery. Primary endpoint measure was the incidence of sight-threatening complications. Secondary endpoints included intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction and in number of required antiglaucoma medications. RESULTS: Ten patients (20 eyes) were included in the analysis. Median (95% confidence interval) follow-up was 12.0 (7.0-12.0) months, with 14 eyes having a follow-up of 12 months. No sight-threatening complications, such as endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, corneal decompensation, or intraocular hemorrhages were observed in any eye of study sample. Mean IOP decreased significantly from 25.2 (21.5-28.9) mm Hg at baseline to 15.1 (13.4-16.8) mm Hg at the last follow-up visit (p = 0.0001). Mean number of antiglaucoma medications was significantly reduced from 2.9 (2.5 to 3.3) drugs at baseline to 0.40 (0.00-0.70) at the end of the study (p < 0.0001). At the last study visit, 14 (70.0%) eyes had an IOP ≥ 6 and ≤ 18 mm Hg without treatment. Two eyes needed surgical revision and three ones needed a new glaucoma surgery: two underwent Ahmed valves (one eye with aniridia and the other previously operated on) and one underwent non-penetrating deep sclerectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral simultaneous XEN implantation may be a feasible strategy in those patients with high anesthetic risk.

Effectiveness and safety of XEN63 in patients with primary-open-angle glaucoma.

This paper evaluates the effectiveness and safety of XEN63 stent, either standalone or in combination with phacoemulsification, in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Eighty eyes from 80 patients with medically uncontrolled POAG were assigned to undergo XEN63 implant. The primary outcome was the surgical success, defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering from preoperative values ≥ 20% and an IOP absolute value between 6 and 18 mmHg, with or without antiglaucoma medications. Forty-three (53.7%) eyes underwent XEN63-standalone and 37(46.2%) eyes a XEN63 + Phacoemulsification procedure. Success rate was 68.8% (55/80) eyes in the overall study sample, 69.8% (30/43) eyes in the XEN63-standalone group; and 67.6% (25/37) eyes in the XEN63 + Phaco group (p = 0.6133). Preoperative IOP was significantly lowered from 22.1 ± 4.9 mmHg and 19.8 ± 3.7 mmHg to 14.7 ± 5.3 mmHg and 13.8 ± 3.4 mmHg in the XEN63-standalone and XEN63 + Phaco groups, respectively (p < 0.0001 each, respectively); without significant differences between them at any of the time-points measured. Preoperative number of ocular-hypotensive drugs was significantly reduced from 2.3 ± 0.8 to 0.3 ± 0.7 drugs, from 2.5 ± 0.7 to 0.3 ± 0.7 drugs; and from 2.0 ± 0.8 to 0.3 ± 0.7 drugs, in the overall, XEN63-standalone, and XEN63 + Phaco groups, respectively. Regarding safety, 3(42.5%) eyes had transient hypotony at some point during the study, although only in one (1.2%) eye was clinically significant. Four (5.0%) eyes underwent a needling, 4 (5.0%) eyes underwent surgical-bleb-revision, 1 (1.2%) eye required a device replacement and 1 (1.2%) eye a device removal due to maculopathy. XEN63, either alone or in combination with phacoemulsification, significantly lowered IOP and reduced the number of ocular hypotensive medications. The rate of ocular hypotony was relatively high, although it was clinically relevant only in one eye.

Short-term effectiveness prognostic factors after dexamethasone intravitreal implant in macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to describe functional and anatomical changes (best-corrected visual acuity [BCVA], central macular thickness [CMT], and central macular volume [CMV]) in patients with macular edema (ME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) treated with intravitreal dexamethasone implant (IDI) and identify its clinical predictors in a real-world setting. METHODS: Data from 111 patients who underwent IDI to treat RVO-associated ME were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic, preoperative, and postoperative variables were assessed using a logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of visual and anatomical improvement. RESULTS: Mean BCVA, CMT, and CMV improved from baseline after IDI (p < 0.001). The strongest predictors of different treatment outcomes were: a baseline BCVA ⩽60 ETDRS letters (OR = 50.600; p < 0.001) and first IDI injection (OR = 2.988; p < 0.001) for BCVA gain ⩾15 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters; a baseline BCVA ⩽60 ETDRS letters (OR = 7.893; p = 0.002) and non-chronic ME (OR = 3.875; p = 0.019) for BCVA ⩾80 ETDRS letters achievement; a baseline CMT ⩾400 µm (OR = 49.083; p < 0.001) and a baseline CMV ⩾12 mm3 (OR = 4.235; p < 0.001) for CMT reduction ⩾50%; and a baseline CMT ⩾400 µm (OR = 11.471; p < 0.001) and a baseline CMV ⩾12 mm3 (OR = 10.284; p < 0.001) for CMV reduction ⩾15%. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the effectiveness of IDI to treat ME secondary to RVO and identified new predictive factors for two visual (⩾15 ETDRS letters gain and BCVA ⩾80 ETDRS letters) and two anatomical outcomes (>50% CMT and >15% CMV reduction).

Optimization of a Method to Isolate and Culture Adult Porcine, Rats and Mice Müller Glia in Order to Study Retinal Diseases.

Müller cells are the predominant glial elements in the retina, extending vertically across this structure, and they fulfill a wealth support roles that are critical for neurons. Alterations to the behavior and phenotype of Müller glia are often seen in animal models of retinal degeneration and in retinal tissue from patients with a variety of retinal disorders. Thus, elucidating the mechanisms underlying the development of retinal diseases would help better understand the cellular processes involved in such pathological changes. Studies into Müller cell activity in vitro have been hindered by the difficulty in obtaining pure cell populations and the tendency of these cells to rapidly differentiate in culture. Most protocols currently used to isolate Müller glia use neonatal or embryonic tissue but here, we report an optimized protocol that facilitates the reliable and straightforward isolation and culture of Müller cells from adult pigs, rats and mice. The protocol described here provides an efficient method for the rapid isolation of adult mammalian Müller cells, which represents a reliable platform to study therapeutic targets and to test the effects of drugs that might combat retinal diseases.