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Complications common but transient in PTVT study

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CORONADO, Calif. — Surgical complications were common in the Primary Tube Versus Trabeculectomy Study, but most were transient and self-limited, Ike K. Ahmed, MD, reported at the American Glaucoma Society meeting.

In the PTVT study, patients underwent placement of a 350 mm² Baerveldt glaucoma implant in the superotemporal quadrant with complete restriction of flow or underwent a superior trabeculectomy with a standard dose of mitomycin C.

Ike K. Ahmed

In giving the 1-year follow-up report on surgical complications, Ahmed said that postoperative interventions were performed with similar frequency in both groups, with ripcord removal being the most common in the tube group and laser suture lysis being most common in the trabeculectomy group.

There were also no significant differences in the rates of intraoperative complications, late postoperative complications or serious complications between the two procedures.

However, Ahmed said, “Reports of patients experiencing one or more early postoperative complication was significantly greater in the trab group compared to the tube group [P = .020].”

Early postoperative complications were defined as having occurred in the first month after surgery.

“The most common [early postoperative] complications in this study were choroidal effusions and anterior chamber shallowing,” Ahmed said. “In the trab group, wound leaks and encapsulated blebs occurred more frequently compared to tubes.”

Late postoperative complication rates were similar between the two groups, with encapsulated bleb being the most frequent for both groups.

“No late postoperative complications occurred with significant frequency in either treatment group,” he said.

Regarding visual acuity, Ahmed reported that vision loss and cataract progression occurred with similar frequency after both surgical procedures. – by Patricia Nale, ELS

Reference:

Ahmed IK. Surgical complications in the Primary Tube vs. Trabeculectomy (PTVT) study during the first year of follow-up. Presented at: American Glaucoma Society annual meeting; March 2-5, 2017; Coronado, Calif.

Disclosure: Ahmed reports he is a consultant/advisor for Abbott Medical Optics/Johnson & Johnson. Financial support for the study was provided by Abbott Medical Optics/Johnson & Johnson, the National Eye Institute and Research to Prevent Blindness.