Canaloplasty compared with trabeculectomy showed no significant differences in IOP or eye drop reduction at 1-year

SAN FRANCISCO — A study comparing canaloplasty and trabeculectomy in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma found no statistically significant differences in IOP reduction at 1-year follow-up. However, nonpenetrating canaloplasty could potentially produce safer results than filtrating glaucoma surgery, a clinician said here.

"Complications and adjunctive procedures were similar [between trabeculectomy and canaloplasty]. However, no cases of hypotony were seen in canaloplasty," Diamond Y. Tam, MD, said at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting here. "This procedure may provide open-angle glaucoma patients with an effective, possibly safer alternative to standard trabeculectomy."

Dr. Tam presented the results of a retrospective chart review that he conducted with colleagues of two groups of 25 open-angle glaucoma patients each. One group underwent nonpenetrating Schlemm's canaloplasty, while the other group underwent trabeculectomy with mitomycin C.

There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in IOP reduction up to 1 year, Dr. Tam said. There also was no statistically significant difference, up to 1 year, in the number of glaucoma medications prescribed to the two groups, he said.

The most common complication or adjunctive procedures in the trabeculectomy group was bleb needling, at 12% and hypotony, at 8%; in the canaloplasty group, it was laser goniopuncture, at 36%, Dr. Tam said.