Our Combined Phacotrabeculectomy and Post-phacotrabeculectomy Laser Suture Lysis Results.

Purpose: To share our combined phacotrabeculectomy (PT) results and to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of this procedure together with that of laser suture lysis (LSL) for postoperative early intraocular pressure (IOP) control after combined PT. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the 33 eyes of 30 patients who had undergone combined PT. The age, gender, glaucoma type, preoperative and postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), number of antiglaucomatous drugs, IOP, surgical complications, early postoperative LSL requirement, IOP changes after LSL, and complications after LSL were investigated. Results: There were 18 male and 12 female patients with a mean age of 68.64±9.27 (40-86) years. The preoperative glaucoma type was most commonly pseudoexfoliative glaucoma as seen in 14 eyes and primary open angle glaucoma as seen in 12 eyes. The IOP was significantly lower (p<0.0001) and the BCVA significantly better (p<0.0001) postoperatively compared to the preoperative values. Similarly, the need for antiglaucoma drugs decreased postoperatively (p<0.0001). Postoperative LSL was required once in 12 eyes and twice in 4 eyes. Preoperative mean IOP was 26.75±5.4 mmHg and postoperative mean IOP was 11.31±2.96 mmHg in the eyes that underwent LSL (p<0.0001). No complications that threatened vision or affected surgical success were seen after LSL. Conclusion: Combined phacotrabeculectomy is an effective and reliable surgical method in cases with glaucoma and cataract together. Suture lysis with the argon laser is an effective and reliable method in the early period to achieve target intraocular pressure after phacotrabeculectomy, and can be performed multiple times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]