[The influence of viscoelastic's maintenance in the anterior chamber on early results and complications after trabeculectomy].

Purpose: The evaluation of intraocular pressure and number of complications in the early postoperative period in patients after trabeculectomy with viscoelastic agent used to recreate the anterior chamber at the end of procedure.

Material And Methods: Between November 2001 and February 2002, in 56 patients (58 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma trabeculectomy was performed. Patients were divided into two groups. Trabeculectomy was performed with leaving the viscoelastic agent (Provisc) in the anterior chamber at the end of surgery in 29 eyes of 28 patients (Group A), while in 28 patients (29 eyes) the anterior chamber was filled with Ringer solution (Group B). Preoperative IOP in group A ranged from 19 to 48 mmHg, mean--28.41 mmHg. In group B it ranged between 19 and 41 mmHg, mean--25.07 mmHg. The follow-up time was 1 month in every case.

Results: The mean IOP on the first, fifth, 14th and 30th day after surgery was 14.0 mmHg, 13.2 mmHg, 12.03 mmHg and 11.76 mmHg respectively in group A, while in group B corresponding values were: 9.0 mmHg, 8.97 mmHg, 8.83 mmHg and 8.9 mmHg. The shallowing of anterior chamber and choroidal detachment were observed in 4 eyes (13.8%) in group A and in 8 eyes (27.6%) in group B postoperatively. The increased IOP during first days after surgery was observed in 3 cases (10.3%) in group A.

Conclusions: The viscoelastic agent left in the anterior chamber at the end of trabeculectomy significantly decreases the frequency of anterior chamber shallowing and choroidal detachment and reduces number of cases with hypotony.