Open AccessThe long‐term results of fistulising trabeculotomy in chronic open‐angle glaucoma
Author(s) -
Gillies WE,
Brooks AMY
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1440-1606
pISSN - 0814-9763
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9071.1994.tb00792.x
Subject(s) - medicine , trabeculectomy , intraocular pressure , schlemm's canal , glaucoma , ophthalmology , complication , open angle glaucoma , surgery , trabecular meshwork
AbstractBackground: Fistulising trabeculotomy has been used for nearly 20 years to combine the minimally invasive surgery of trabeculotomy with production of a subconjunctival fistula.Methods: The canal of Schlemm was unroofed 2mm on one side of a 3mm half‐thickness scleral flap. A trabeculotomy probe was passed about 30° along the canal on the opposite side and rotated into the anterior chamber.Results: Of 99 eyes of 74 patients, 35 eyes of 25 patients were available for follow‐up at 10 or more years. The mean IOP was 14 ± 4 mmHg (range 7 to 23 mmHg) from a preoperative IOP of 29 ± 8 mmHg (17 to 60 mmHg). Results in 44 similar patients undergoing trabeculectomy and 44 undergoing fistulising trabeculotomy were very similar at five‐year follow‐up.Conclusion: Fistulising trabeculotomy was effective for lowering intraocular pressure with a low complication rate and a large area of subconjunctival fistulisation.