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Implantation of two micro-bypass stents reported to pose viable alternative treatment
NEW YORK — IOP control and a reduced medication burden may be achieved after microincision implantation of two trabecular micro-bypass stents, a speaker reporting 12-month study results said here.
"The study objective was to evaluate IOP reduction, medication reduction and the safety of two iStents (Glaukos) in patients with open-angle glaucoma that was not controlled on one medication," L. Jay Katz, MD, said at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
Follow-up of this prospective, single-arm, 40-subject trial will continue through 2 years. Patients could be phakic or pseudophakic with open-angle glaucoma at enrollment. After medication washout, IOP was 22 mm Hg to 38 mm Hg at baseline; after treatment, average IOP drop was 10 mm Hg in the 28 eyes followed for 1 year, and medications were not added back in 25 of those eyes.
The primary effectiveness endpoint was an IOP reduction of 20% or more at 12 months with no ocular hypertensive medications.
"Approximately 90% of the eyes achieved that target," Dr. Katz said.
In terms of practical applications of these study results, Dr. Katz said, "Perhaps in the future, there are going to be certain patients who may benefit from iStents, which may offer a viable alternative to some of the other incisional approaches that we have currently for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma."
- Disclosure: Dr. Katz is a medical monitor and consultant for Glaukos.
