Abstract

Subconjunctival absorption of aqueous humor is an essential part of glaucoma filtration surgery. Mitomycin C (MMC) and 5-fluorouracil have been used to reduce postoperative episcleral fibrosis and scar formation in the filtering bleb area for more than two decades. Both antimetabolites have also been frequently injected before needling revision of failing filtering blebs. Recently, MMC was tried also in tube surgery and nonpenetrating filtering surgery, but its usefulness in these applications has not yet been determined. The main complications and side effects of antimetabolite-enhanced filtration surgery comprise development of thin-walled cystic blebs, late bleb leaks, bleb infections, endophthalmitis, chronic hypotony, hypotony maculopathy and corneal epithelial toxicity. Besides MMC and 5-fluorouracil, several other agents were proposed for decreasing episcleral healing after glaucoma filtering surgery. Only few were evaluated in randomized clinical trials, and none became generally accepted or widely used.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Holló G

Institution

Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. hgbudapest@gmail.com

Source

Developments in ophthalmology 50: 2012 pg 79-89

MeSH

Antimetabolites
Cicatrix
Conjunctiva
Filtering Surgery
Glaucoma
Humans
Injections
Intraoperative Period
Postoperative Complications
Vision, Ocular
Wound Healing

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22517175