Long-term results of viscocanalostomy and phacoviscocanalostomy: a twelve-year follow-up study

AIM: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety results of viscocanalostomy and phacoviscocanalostomy.·METHODS: The charts of 49 glaucoma patients who underwent viscocanalostomy or phacoviscocanalostomy surgery between February 1999 and August 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. Thirty-one eyes of 21 glaucoma patients who underwent filtering procedure with a postoperative follow-up of at least 5y were included in the study. Results of complete ophthalmologic examinations were recorded and statistically analyzed.Long-term surgical outcome was defined as an overall success when intraocular pressure(IOP) was found as ≤20 mm Hg with or without antiglaucomatous medication at the last follow-up visit, while it was defined as a complete success when IOP was measured ≤20 mm Hg without antiglaucomatous medication.·RESULTS: Mean age was 68.1±9.6y(range: 32-81y). Mean follow-up time was 101.5 ±27.3mo(range: 60-144mo).Viscocanalostomy was performed in 8 eyes(25.8%) and phacoviscocanalostomy was performed in 23 eyes(74.2%).The mean preoperative IOP was 23.1 ±7.6 mm Hg with2.1±1.0 medications, while mean IOP was 16.8±3.8 mm Hg with 0.9 ±1.1 medication at the last follow-up visit. Both the IOP decrease and the reduction in the antiglaucomatous medication were statistically significant(P <0.001 and P <0.001). No case required further glaucoma surgery. Overall success and complete success were found as 87.1% and 51.6%, respectively.Complete success rate was statistically higher in phacoviscocanalostomy group compared with the viscocanalostomy group(P =0.031), however there was no significant difference in overall success rate between two groups(P =0.072).· CONCLUSION: Both viscocanalostomy and phacoviscocanalostomy provide good IOP reduction in the long-term period.