Phacoemulsification combined with a new ab intern gel stent to treat open-angle glaucoma: Pilot study

PURPOSE: To study the effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) of implanting a new gelatin stent at the time of cataract surgery in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma (OAG). SETTING: Multicenter university and private-practice settings. DESIGN: Nonrandomized prospective clinical trial. METHODS: The implantation of 2 models of a gelatin stent (Xen140 and Xen63) was performed at the time of cataract surgery without mitomycin-C. Complete success was defined as a postoperative IOP of less than 18 mm Hg and more than a 20% reduction in IOP at 12 months without glaucoma medication. Failure was defined as loss of light perception vision or worse, a need for additional glaucoma surgery, or less than a 20% reduction in the IOP from baseline. RESULTS: The study included 37 eyes of 37 patients. The mean preoperative IOP was 22.4 mm Hg +/-4.2 (SD) on 2.5 +/- 1.4 medication classes. Twelve months postoperatively, the mean IOP was reduced to 15.4 +/- 3.0 mm Hg on 0.9 +/- 1.0 medication classes (P<.0001). This resulted in a qualified success of 85.3% and a complete success rate off medications of 47.1%. There were no failures. CONCLUSION: Cataract surgery combined with implantation of the gelatin stent resulted in a significant reduction in IOP in eyes with OAG.