Clinical Results of Ahmed Valve Implantation in the Aspects of Complications

Kim, Do Hyun; Park, Chan Kee; Ahn, Myung Douk

Abstract

PURPOSE
We retrospectively studied the clinical restults of Ahmed valve implantation in the aspects of complications in refractory glaucoma. METHODS: One hundred fourteen eyes of 112 patients who had undergone Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation from February 1996 to April 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients with less than 6 months of follow-up were excluded from the analysis. Etiology of glaucoma, change of intraocular pressure and visual acuity and the incidence of complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Postoperative complications included persistent shallow ant.chamber with hypotony in 10 eyes, choroidal detachment in 11 eyes, hyphema in 16 eyes, vitreous hemorrhage in 3 eyes, suprachoroidal hemorrhage in 2 eyes, valve obstruction in 15 eyes (10 by fibrous membrane, 3 by vitreous, 1 by silicone oil and 1 by gas tamponade), valve malposition in 14 eyes (6 by corneal contact 4 by iris contact or incarceration, 1 by lens contact, 1 by intraocular lens contact and 2 by shortage of valve tip), scleral graft exposure in 2 eyes, conjunctival scarring in 2 eyes, encapsulated bleb in 2 eyes, EOM limitation due to giant bleb in 2 eyes, corneal graft rejection in 1 eye and phthisis bulbi in 10 eyes. Various kinds of complications were observed in 66 eyes of the total 114 eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation was effective in controlling intraocualr pressure and maintenance of visual acuity. However, Ahmed valve showed many kinds of complications in the follow-up periods.