Three-year results show tube shunts had fewer complications, similar IOP as trabeculectomy

ATLANTA — Tube shunts were more likely to maintain IOP control and not have hypotony, light perception vision loss or need repeat surgery than trabeculectomy in the first 3 years following surgery, but results were similar by 3 years, a study found.

Steven J. Gedde, MD, presented 3-year results of the tube versus trabeculectomy study at the Glaucoma Subspecialty Day at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. The multicenter, randomized, clinical trial looked at 212 eyes, divided into two groups, with one group receiving tube shunts and the other group receiving trabeculectomy with mitomycin C.

Dr. Gedde said the study found that while there were differences in results in the first 3 years, by the third year, results of both procedures had leveled out.

"Early postoperative complications occurred more frequently after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C than tube shunt surgery," he said. "The rates of late postoperative complications and serious complications associated with vision loss, and/or reoperation were similar for both surgical procedures."

The surgical procedures had similar IOP and medication reduction at 3 years, he said. There was also no difference in rate of vision loss after filtration surgery or tube shunt implantation, he said.