Intraocular pressure control of a novel glaucoma drainage device - in vitro and in vivo studies

• Main Authors: Li-Jun Cui, Di-Chen Li, Jian Liu, Lei Zhang, Yao Xing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Press of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO PRESS) 2017-09-01
• Series: International Journal of Ophthalmology
• Subjects: 1360; drainage device; aqueous humor; outflow; intraocular pressure; rabbit
• Online Access: http://www.ijo.cn/en_publish/2017/9/20170904.pdf

AIM: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) control of an artificial trabeculum drainage system (ATDS), a newly designed glaucoma drainage device, and postoperative complications in normal rabbit eyes. METHODS: Pressure drops in air and fluid of 30 ATDS were measured after being connected to a closed manometric system. Twenty of them were then chosen and implanted randomly into the eyes of 20 rabbits. Postoperative slit-lamp, gonioscopic examination and IOP measurements were recorded periodically. Ultrasound biomicroscopy and B-scan ultrasonography were also used to observe the complications. Eyes were enucleated on day 60. RESULTS: Pressure drops of 4.6-9.4 mm Hg were obtained at physiological aqueous flow rates in the tests in vitro. The average postoperative IOP of the experimental eyes (11.6-12.8 mm Hg) was lower than the controls significantly (P<0.05) at each time point. Complications of hemorrhage (n=1), cellulosic exudation (two cases) and local iris congestion (two cases) were observed. The lumina of the devices were devoid of obstructions in all specimens examined and a thin fibrous capsule was found around the endplate. CONCLUSION: ATDS reduce IOP effectively. However, further studies on the structure are needed to reduce complications.