gms | German Medical Science

102. Jahrestagung der DOG

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft e. V.

23. bis 26.09.2004, Berlin

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Long-term results with the Ahmed glaucoma valve in complicated glaucomas

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  • corresponding author H. Thieme - Augenklinik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin
  • A. Schulze - Augenklinik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin
  • N. E. Bechrakis - Augenklinik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin
  • M. H. Foerster - Augenklinik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin

Evidenzbasierte Medizin - Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. 102. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft. Berlin, 23.-26.09.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. Doc04dogSO.02.09

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dog2004/04dog430.shtml

Published: September 22, 2004

© 2004 Thieme et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

Text

Objective

The Ahmed glaucoma device is a valve equipped glaucoma drainage system for the treatment of complicated glaucomas. Their use in Germany is very limited.

Methods

From 1999 up to 2004 we implanted 12 such valves in 11 patients and retrospectively followed their outcome for consecutive 25 months. In most cases complicated secondary glaucomas with numerous preoperative procedures (5.3/patient) were treated. The mean age was 44.9 (19-84 years).

Results

Sucessful implantation was defined based on pre- and postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP). Before implantation IOP was 34 mmHg (24-45) and could be lowered to 16.0 mmHg (4-30mmHg). Visual acuity increased or stabilised in 8 of 12 eyes. Preoperative medications (2.6 / patient) was reduced to 1.0 per patient. The implantatation itself was without complications, postoperatively reversible hypotonie (6x), choroidal detachment (9x) and hyphema (3x) were observed. The rate of postoperative hypotonies appear to be less with the Ahmed valve compared to other glaucoma drainage systems.

Conclusions

The Ahmed valve appears to be a sucessful operative procedure to lower IOP longterm in complicated glaucomas.