Surgical outcomes of the Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) versus the Ahmed glaucoma valve for refractory paediatric glaucoma in Middle Eastern children

Objective The Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) has the potential advantages of less encapsulation and greater cost-effectiveness than the Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV). The aim of this study was to compare the surgical success and outcomes of the AADI compared to the AGV in Middle-Eastern children. Methods A comparative retrospective study of consecutive paediatric patients in a tertiary eye hospital was undertaken. Data collected included demographics, type of glaucoma, intraocular pressure (IOP), number of anti-glaucoma medications (AGMs) and any subsequent complications or further surgeries. Analysis The mean IOP, number of AGMs, surgical success and number of reoperations was compared for the two groups. Surgical success at each visit was defined as IOP of >= 6 mm Hg and <= 21 mm Hg or if the reduction of IOP was >= 20% reduced from baseline. Results A total of 126 tube surgeries (56 eyes in AADI and 70 eyes in AGV) were performed in patients aged <= 18 years from 2014 to 2019. No difference was observed in the mean IOP between the two groups except at the first month post-operative visit. After six months, the AADI group had a consistently significant lower mean number of AGMs. At last follow-up, 21 (37.5%) eyes in the AADI group were glaucoma medication-free vs 15 (21.4%) eyes in the AGV group (pp=0.047). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed equivalent cumulative probability of success at two years of 69.9% [(45.9%-84.9%)] for AADI vs 66.8% [(53.4%-77.1%])) for the AGV, respectively. Twenty-four eyes in the AGV group needed one or more subsequent surgeries, whereas 13 eyes needed one or more surgery in the AADI group. Conclusions This study shows an acceptable safety profile for the AADI in children, with a rate of failure that is comparable to the AGV, but less need for glaucoma re-operation or glaucoma medication in the first post-postoperative year.