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Ab interno implant offers alternative method to reduce IOP
SAN FRANCISCO — An innovative minimally invasive ab interno subconjunctival gelatin implant reduced IOP in glaucoma patients, according to study results presented here.
"It’s minimally invasive on one side and highly effective on the other," Inga S. Kersten-Gomez, MD, said at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting.
Inga S. Kersten-Gomez
The prospective, open-label clinical study included 107 open-angle glaucoma patients who underwent implantation of a permanent collagen-derived gelatin implant (AqueSys).
The clinical objective was to determine whether the small implant can significantly reduce IOP, Kersten-Gomez said.
"The implant comes with a pre-loaded ‘IOL-like’ inserter. The procedure is straightforward, repeatable, and the implant is also removable," she said.
The procedure can be performed with or without cataract surgery.
Mean IOP was 15.9 mm Hg at 1 year, a 26% decrease from baseline; there was a 77% mean decrease in medications.
Ab interno subconjunctival drainage is a clinically proven outflow pathway, and it bypasses potential outflow obstructions. In addition, it does not compromise alternative surgical options.
This minimally invasive procedure is applicable in all stages of glaucoma for a broad range of surgeons, Kersten-Gomez said.
"This method may prove to be an interesting alternative to traditional surgeries in glaucoma patients, with and without cataract surgery," she said.
Disclosure: Kersten-Gomez has no relevant financial disclosures.