Surgery for refractory glaucoma.

Purpose:To determine the surgical outcome of mitomycin trabeculectomy in patients with refractory glaucoma. Methods:Sixty-six eyes of 52 patients with refractory glaucoma underwent mitomycin trabeculectomy. Mitomycin was applied for five minutes only once during trabeculectomy. The follow-up period was six to 61 months. Results:Cumulative success probability was calculated using Kaplan-Meier life-table analysis assuming the cut-off postoperative IOP to be 20 mmHg or IOP reduction by at least 20% in eyes with preoperative IOP 24mmHg. At the end of 61-month follow-up the success probability was 80%± 6% without postoperative ocular hypotensive medication (complete success) and was 95%± 3% regardless of postoperative antiglaucoma medication (overall success), respectively. Conclusion:The data suggest that mitomycin trabeculectomy is efficacious in reducing IOP in patients with refractory glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]