Faria, Bruno M.

Purpose To compare the outcomes of standard combined Phaco-Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) surgery (GI) with those of the extended technique (GII). Methods This retrospective, comparative, multicenter, case-control study enrolled patients with one-year follow-up. GI removed 90° of the trabecular meshwork (TM) extension during KDB, whereas GII removed 150°. The successful criteria were based on a modification of the AAO PPP recommendations - Reporting Clinical Endpoints in Studies of Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery. Qualified success was achieved with or without medication, while absolute success was achieved without the use of any ocular hypotensive medication. Results A total of 72 eyes (36 in both groups) were included. The IOP was similar between groups preoperatively (GI: 17.0 ± 2.7 mmHg vs. GII: 17.5 ± 4.2 mmHg, p = 0.5), and at 12 months postoperatively (GI: 13.5 ± 2.8 mmHg vs. GII: 12.3 ± 2.7 mmHg, p = 0.06). The number of glaucoma medications was reduced from 1.7 ± 0.9 to 0.4 ± 0.8 in GI ( p < 0.001) and from 2.1 ± 0.8 to 0.4 ± 0.7 in GII ( p < 0.001). At 12 months, both groups reduced comparable glaucoma medications ( p = 0.9). Qualified success was achieved in 77.1% of the eyes with GI and 94.4% with GII ( p = 0.03), whereas complete success was achieved in 68.6% of the eyes with GI and 69.4% with GII ( p = 0.7). No serious complications were observed in any of the groups. Conclusion Extended combined Phaco-KDB surgery showed greater relative success than the Standard Phaco-KDB technique. Both techniques achieved similar IOP reduction at 12 months postoperatively.

Précis: Patients with clinically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma submitted to isolated gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy or combined with phacoemulsification not only achieved low mean IOPs, but also demonstrated stable IOP patterns during a 24-month follow-up. Purpose: To assess the impact of gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) on long-term intraocular pressure (IOP) variation. Patients and Methods: An unicentric retrospective study including 169 consecutive patients who had undergone standalone GATT or combined with phacoemulsification (PHACOGATT) due to clinically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma, with at least 12 months of follow-up was conducted. Long-term mean IOP, long-term IOP peak, long-term IOP fluctuation, coefficient of variation, mean-positive IOP variation, sustained clinically significant positive IOP variation, and number of follow-up visits with IOP ≥15 mm Hg were investigated. Results: One hundred sixty-nine eyes from 169 patients were included (GATT group=101 patients; PHACOGATT group=68 patients). Mean long term IOP (12.0±1.8 vs. 11.2±2.0 mm Hg), mean long-term IOP peak (12.9±2.6 vs. 11.8±3.5 mm Hg), and mean coefficient of variation (0.07±0.08 vs. 0.05±0.09) were lower in the PHACOGATT group, while mean IOP fluctuation (1.0±3.7 vs. 1.2±1.8 mm Hg) was lower in the GATT group. In addition, the overall mean-positive IOP variation was 0.79±1.64 mm Hg. Finally, only 6.5% of the patients presented sustained clinically significant positive IOP variation and IOP was ≥15 mm Hg in 5.9% of the follow-up visits. Conclusions: Patients with clinically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma submitted to GATT or PHACOGATT achieved low mean IOPs and demonstrated stable IOP patterns. Our results provide additional evidence supporting GATT and PHACOGATT as viable options for the treatment of medically uncontrolled glaucoma patients requiring low and stable IOPs.