Use of the Aurolab Aqueous Drainage Implant as a buckling element in pediatric retinal detachment with a preexisting glaucoma drainage device

Purpose: To describe a novel technique for repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in an eye with a previous non-valved glaucoma drainage device, the Aurolab Aqueous Drainage Implant (AADI). Observations: A 5-year-old child with bilateral primary congenital glaucoma presented with an inferior retinal detachment (RD) in the left eye. The left eye had a history of multiple surgical interventions including combined trabeculotomy and trabeculectomy done twice, AADI implantation and subsequently phacoaspiration with IOL implantation, 18 months prior to presentation. The left eye retinal detachment was managed by scleral buckling technique using the plate of the AADI as a buckling element without its explantation. Conclusions: AND IMPORTANCE: Management of retinal detachment in eyes with a pre-existing glaucoma drainage device (GDD) is uniquely challenging. Explantation of the GDD would likely result in intractable glaucoma post-operatively, requiring another surgery. Use of the trimmed plate of the GDD itself as the buckling element helped in settling the RD and preserving intraocular pressure control.