Two-year Results of Gonioscopy-assisted Transluminal Trabeculotomy in Primary Congenital Glaucoma.

PRECIS: Gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy yielded a 45% reduction in intraocular pressure in primary congenital glaucoma, with a success rate of 86.6%. Hyphema was the most common complication. We did not encounter any vision-threatening complications. BACKGROUND: To assess the outcome of gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) in primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) and identify the potential prognostic factors for adverse outcomes. METHODS: This prospective study included patients aged <14 years, presenting with PCG from November 2019 till November 2021. We excluded eyes with hazy cornea, secondary glaucoma, peripheral anterior synechiae ≥ 90°, and eyes in which the extent of GATT was <270°. Success was defined as a final intraocular pressure (IOP)<18 mmHg with IOP reduction>20%. Primary outcomes were reduction in IOP and medications, secondary outcomes were complications and correlation of IOP reduction and surgical success with possible risk factors. RESULTS: We included 60 eyes of 50 patients aged 1-156 months (mean: 25.5±36.5). A 353°±21° incision was created, with 85% achieving a 360° incision. There was a significant reduction in IOP and medications at all follow-up intervals up to 2 years, with a mean of 45% IOP reduction. The final success rate was 86.6%, with 76.7% being controlled without medications. There was a significant positive correlation between the preoperative cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) and failure rates (P=0.03) and between the incision extent and the IOP reduction (r=0.4, P=0.001). Hyphema was the most common complication, affecting 33%, and resolved spontaneously in all cases. No vision threatening complications occurred. CONCLUSION: GATT is a safe and effective procedure in eyes with PCG and clear cornea, including eyes that had previous failed glaucoma surgery. Circumferential GATT is associated with more favorable outcomes, while eyes with a larger CDR are at a higher risk for failure.

Macular and peripapillary vascular parameters in the fellow eyes of unilateral primary congenital glaucoma: a comparative study.

PURPOSE: To study the fellow eyes of patients with unilateral primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and compare them to normal age- and refractive error-matched healthy controls. METHODS: Using OCTA, the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, cup:disk ratio, vessel density (VD) of the optic nerve head (ONH) and peripapillary area and the macular VD in superficial (SCP) and deep vascular complexes in both 3 mm and 6 mm scans of both groups were compared. Clinical data included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), cycloplegic refraction, intraocular pressure (IOP), anterior and posterior segments examination findings, including ONH cup:disk ratio. RESULTS: A total of 48 eyes of 48 children (24 eyes in each group) were included. There was no difference in the mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, cup:disk ratio, baseline visual acuity, or spherical equivalent between groups (P > 0.05). In the 3 mm macular scan, the VD of the SCP at the fovea was significantly higher in the PCG group compared to controls (P = 0.04). In the ONH scans, there was a significantly reduced inside the disk VD in the PCG group compared to controls (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in other macular and ONH vascular parameters between groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our study cohort, there was no difference in most of the macular and ONH vascular parameters between groups. However, the fellow eyes of PCG patients exhibited higher VD of the SCP at the fovea and reduced inside the disk VD compared with control eyes.

Gonioscopy-Assisted Transluminal Trabeculotomy following Failed Glaucoma Surgery in Primary Congenital Glaucoma: One-Year Results.

Purpose: To evaluate the one-year outcomes of gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) in primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) with a history of prior glaucoma surgery. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify all PCG patients ≤ 16 years who underwent GATT surgery at Cairo University Children's Hospital from January 2016 to March 2022. Pre- and postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) and glaucoma medications were collected at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and last follow-up visits. Success was defined as IOP ≤ 21 mmHg without (complete) or with (qualified) glaucoma medications at the last follow-up. Results: Seven eyes of 6 subjects were included in the study. The mean IOP was statistically significantly reduced from 25.7 ± 5.9 mmHg preoperatively to a mean IOP of 12 ± 1.5 mmHg (P = 0.001) at 12 months and 11.5 ± 1.2 mmHg (P = 0.001) at the last follow-up visit. Six eyes (85.7%) achieved complete success, and one eye (14.2%) achieved qualified success. No patients required further glaucoma procedures. No serious intra- or postoperative complications were identified. Conclusions: Our early experience highlights that GATT can be performed as an alternative procedure before considering conjunctival or scleral glaucoma surgeries.

Childhood glaucoma profile in a tertiary centre in Egypt according to the childhood glaucoma research network classification.

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence and clinical characteristics of a large cohort of childhood glaucoma patients that presented to a tertiary Egyptian children's hospital using the childhood glaucoma research network (CGRN) classification. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records of all patients ≤ 14 years with a diagnosis of childhood glaucoma or glaucoma suspects who presented to Children's Hospital between January 2014 to December 2019 was conducted. Data collected included age at the time of diagnosis, gender, laterality, prenatal history, parental history, including consanguinity, intraocular pressure, horizontal corneal diameter, and cup-to-disc ratio. RESULTS: A total of 1113 eyes of 652 patients with diagnoses of either childhood glaucoma or glaucoma suspects were included in the study. Six hundred and sixteen patients (94%) were born full-term. A history of positive parental consanguinity was identified in 334 patients (51.2%). Almost 60% of patients were males. Primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) was the most prevalent diagnosis (68.2%), followed by glaucoma suspects (10.4%) and glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS) (8.4%). Juvenile open-angle glaucoma was the least prevalent category (0.3%). Other categories including glaucoma associated with non-acquired systemic disease, glaucoma associated with non-acquired ocular disease, and glaucoma associated with acquired conditions represented 5.8%, 4.7%, and 1.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PCG is the most common form of glaucoma in Egypt. More than half of the pediatric glaucoma patients had a positive history of parents' consanguinity.

Kahook Dual Blade Ab-interno Trabeculectomy Compared With Conventional Goniotomy in the Treatment of Primary Congenital Glaucoma: 1-Year Results.

INTRODUCTION: Kahook dual blade (KDB) removes a strip of the trabecular meshwork from the angle, which may make it superior to simple goniotomy in treating the angle anomaly in primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). This prospective study compares KDB ab-interno trabeculectomy to conventional goniotomy in PCG. METHODS: Forty-two eyes of 29 patients with PCG underwent ab-interno trabeculectomy using a KDB or conventional goniotomy using a 25-G irrigating needle, targeting 100 to 120 degrees of the nasal iridocorneal angle. Patients were seen at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Success was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) ≤21 mm Hg at 1-year follow-up visit, with no evidence of glaucoma progression. RESULTS: The KDB group included 21 eyes of patients with a median age of 6 months (interquartile range: 4 to 8.5 mo) and the goniotomy group included 21 eyes of patients with a median age of 5 months (interquartile range: 3 to 9.5 mo). There was a significant reduction in IOP in both groups at all follow-up visits. The reduction in the number of glaucoma medications was significant at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively in the KDB group, and at 1 month in the goniotomy group. There was no significant difference in IOP or glaucoma medications between both groups at any follow-up visit. Success was achieved in 12 eyes (57.1%) in each group, with no eyes developing any serious complications. CONCLUSION: One-year results show that KDB ab-interno trabeculectomy is at least as effective as goniotomy in the treatment of PCG. Eyes with bilateral glaucoma had a tendency to fail both procedures.

One-year results of two-site trabeculotomy in paediatric glaucoma following cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: The management of glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS) in children is challenging. This study looks at the results of two-site trabeculotomy in paediatric aphakic/pseudophakic glaucoma, 1-year post operatively. METHODS: This prospective, institutional study was performed on 33 eyes with GFCS in patients aged ≤14 years. Patients underwent two-site trabeculotomy using the rigid-probe trabeculotome, through a superonasal and an inferotemporal scleral flap. Intraocular pressure (IOP), medications, complications and success rates at 1 year were reported. Success was defined as IOP < 23 mmHg or 30% IOP reduction, on the same or fewer number of medications at 1 year, without the need for another glaucoma procedure. RESULTS: Trabeculotomy was performed on average 3.5 years after the cataract surgery. Patients were aged 5.73 ± 1.79 years. We excluded four eyes in which >180° incision could not be achieved. A 360° incision was achieved in 14 eyes (48%). There was a significant reduction in IOP and medications at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months (p < 0.001). At 1 year, mean IOP reduction was 48.2 ± 31.5%. Success was achieved in 26 eyes (89.6%), of which 15 were controlled without medications. There was no significant difference in IOP, medications or success between aphakic and pseudophakic eyes nor between eyes that had 360° trabeculotomy and eyes that had a 180-270° incision. Three eyes (10.3%) required another glaucoma procedure. One eye required core vitrectomy for vitreous haemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: Two-site trabeculotomy can be used as an effective and safe first-line procedure in paediatric GFCS eyes that do not have extensive peripheral anterior synechiae.

Circumferential Schlemm's Canal Surgery in Adult and Pediatric Glaucoma.

Purpose: Although trabeculectomy, and to a less extent glaucoma drainage devices are currently the gold standard in glaucoma surgery, there is a rising interest in addressing the more physiological pathway of aqueous outflow through surgeries that target Schlemm's canal (SC). These surgeries have the advantage of a lower risk of hypotony and bleb-related complications commonly associated with conventional glaucoma surgery.In this article we review new developments and the different techniques of circumferential angle surgery in adult and pediatric glaucoma, as well as procedures which target the canal circumferentially without incising it, such as canaloplasty and Visco360.Methods: A comprehensive literature search of various electronic databases was performed.Results: Angle surgery, namely goniotomy and trabeculotomy, have been well established as standard procedures in pediatric glaucoma, yet their results in the management of adult glaucoma have not been as promising. In recent years, ab-interno trabeculectomy using Trabectome and Kahook dual blade have yielded variable results in adult glaucoma. As growing evidence suggests that bigger extent incisions into SC result in increased lowering of intraocular pressure than conventional 120 to 180-degree incisions, several procedures have been developed to create a circumferential incision into SC. Circumferential SC incision using sutures, microcatheters, TRAB360 or the rigid probe trabeculotome, through an ab-interno or ab-externo approach, have yielded promising results in both adult and pediatric glaucoma by reducing the resistance to aqueous outflow through the inner wall of SC over 360 degrees of the angle.Conclusions: Various techniques of circumferential Schlemm's canal surgery is effective in management of different adult and pediatric glaucomas. Further long-term comparative studies would be useful in evaluating safety and efficacy of these procedures.

Microcatheter-assisted Trabeculotomy Versus 2-site Trabeculotomy With the Rigid Probe Trabeculotome in Primary Congenital Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of microcatheter-assisted trabeculotomy to circumferential trabeculotomy using the rigid probe trabeculotome in primary congenital glaucoma. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed in an institutional setting. The medical records of primary congenital glaucoma patients who underwent circumferential trabeculotomy (≥270 degrees incised) using Glaucolight-illuminated microcatheter or a rigid probe trabeculotome were reviewed. The primary outcomes were the percent reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) and success rates. Complete success was defined as achieving an IOP<18 mm Hg without medications. Secondary outcomes were the postoperative IOP and glaucoma medications. RESULTS: The study included 92 eyes of 92 patients. Of these, 33 eyes of 33 patients aged 6.4±8.7 months underwent microcatheter-assisted trabeculotomy creating a 336±34-degree incision, with 19 eyes (58%) having a complete 360-degree incision. The other 59 eyes of 59 patients aged 8.2±13.1 months underwent 2-site trabeculotomy, using a rigid probe trabeculotome through a combined superonasal and inferotemporal approach, creating a 338±29-degree incision, with 33 eyes (56%) having a complete incision. After a follow-up of 21.2±8.9 months, there was a 42%±25% IOP reduction and a 73% rate of complete success in the microcatheter group, compared with 40%±22% IOP reduction and an 80% success rate in the rigid probe group (P=0.7 and 0.3, respectively). There was no significant difference in survival time in both groups (P=0.6). CONCLUSION: Circumferential trabeculotomy using either the illuminated microcatheter or rigid probe trabeculotome yielded comparable results; however, the added cost of the microcatheter should be considered.

Evaluation of Artisan aphakic intraocular lens in cases of pediatric aphakia with insufficient capsular support.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the visual outcomes and complications after Artisan iris-claw lens implantation in aphakic children with insufficient capsular support. METHODS: In this prospective, interventional noncontrolled study, aphakic eyes of consecutive patients >2 years of age with insufficient capsular support who underwent Artisan intraocular lens (IOL) implantation between June 2011 and December 2012 were followed for 1 year. Patients with anterior chamber depth <3 mm, central endothelial cell density (CECD) <2500 cells/mm(²), uncontrolled glaucoma, or uveitis were excluded. Best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), and CECD were measured at 1, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 25 aphakic eyes of 18 patients (mean age, 7.86 ± 3.08 years) with insufficient capsular support for a standard posterior chamber IOL were included, 18 eyes with subluxated lens and 7 following trauma. The mean preoperative logMAR best-corrected visual acuity for traumatic aphakic patients was 0.95 ± 0.36; for patients with subluxation, 0.7 ± 0.26. Values improved at 1 year to 0.38 ± 0.15 (P < 0.002) and 0.3 ± 0.2 (P < 0.0001), respectively. One year after surgery the CECD (2892.64 ± 441.79 cells/mm(²)) was significantly reduced from the preoperative and 1 month postoperative values (3573.36 ± 468.9 cells/mm(2), 3081 ± 495 cells/mm(²); P < 0.0001, P < 0.02 resp.). Two cases (8%) developed traumatic dislocation. Pupillary block occurred in 1 case (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Artisan IOL implantation for pediatric aphakia achieved a good visual outcome.

Severe fibrosis of extraocular muscles after the use of lyophilized amniotic membrane in strabismus surgery.

Various techniques have been used to reduce adhesions after strabismus surgery. Wrapping the extraocular muscles with cryopreserved amniotic membrane has been reported to yield good results. In the case reported here, we used lyophilized amniotic membrane to wrap the extraocular muscles. Extensive adhesions developed, and inelastic, fibrotic muscles were discovered at a subsequent operation.