Introduction: Endoscopic diode cycloablation (ECP) has shown modest efficacy for the management of pediatric glaucomas. Eyes with pediatric glaucoma and corneal opacities pose obstacles to intraocular surgery. We examined the role of ECP in lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) as well as that of endoscopy in facilitating tube shunt placement in these eyes.
Methods: Retrospective chart review of 12 eyes (11 patients) with glaucoma and corneal opacities from 12/99 to 9/05. ECP was performed for IOP control with success defined as postoperative IOP < or =21 mm Hg, with or without medications and without procedure-related complications. Success of ECP, repeat ECP, and endoscopically guided tube shunt placement was studied.
Results: Diagnoses included the following: Peters/anterior segment dysgenesis in nine eyes and corneal scar/failed corneal graft in three. Patients included eight females and three males with median age 3 years (0.5 to 10.3) at treatment. Median number of prior surgeries was three; median time to failure was 7.8 months (0.3 to 38). Ten eyes had prior external cycloablation(s). Success of first ECP (mean 6.1 clock hours) was 2/12 (17%), with Kaplan-Meier median survival 12 months. Two treatment failures had repeat ECP, and both failed. Four treatment failures had subsequent tube shunt surgery (three with endoscopic assistance), and all were successful at median follow-up of 33 months (11 to 63). Baseline IOP was 36.8 +/- 11 mm Hg before ECP versus 28.2 +/- 16 mm Hg after first treatment (p = 0.07). Procedure-related complications included chorioretinal detachment in one eye.
Conclusions: ECP had limited success in children with refractory glaucoma. However, with anatomic limitations, endoscopy itself was valuable in facilitating subsequent successful tube shunt surgery.