Micropulse cyclophotocoagulation minimizes post-treatment sequelae

HONOLULU — At 1 to 2 years of follow-up in patients undergoing micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation, there were no instances of phthisis or cystoid macular edema attributable to treatment, according to a poster presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting here.

Soshian Sarrafpour, MD, and colleagues studied the long-term sequelae of micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation in a retrospective study of 71 eyes with glaucoma. As late as 1 to 2 years after treatment, IOP was significantly reduced and maintained, and medication burden was reduced, according to the presentation.

A 20% reduction in IOP was achieved in 77.5% of patients and a 30% reduction was obtained in 66.2% of patients at 1 to 2 years of follow-up. Furthermore, the number of medications used after intervention was inversely related to medication burden before intervention, in that the number of medications needed was reduced by one in 42.3% of patients, and “no patients developed phthisis or cystoid macular edema as a result of the procedure,” according to the presentation.

“Multivariate regression analysis revealed that reductions in IOP of greater magnitude were associated with increased preoperative IOP and increased strength of lasers used intraoperatively,” the authors wrote. – by Patricia Nale, ELS

Reference:

Sarrafpour S, et al. Evaluation of the long-term effects of micro-pulse cyclophotocoagulation on patients with glaucoma. Presented at: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting; April 28-May 3, 2018; Honolulu.

Disclosure: Sarrafpour reports no relevant financial disclosures.