AIM:ToevaluatetheoutcomesofAhmedglaucomavalve(AGV)implantationsurgeryforrefractoryglaucoma.METHODS:Thisone-armedhistoricalcohortstudywasconductedin2011.Refractoryglaucomawasdefinedaseyeswithanintraocularpressure(IOP)greaterthan21mmHgwithmaximallytoleratedglaucomamedications,failedsurgeries,orboth.ForalleyeswithrefractoryglaucomathatunderwentAGVimplantation,datawerecollectedonIOP,thebestcorrectedvisualacuity(BCVA)andglaucomamedicationspreoperativelyand4,6,12,24and56wkpostoperatively.LogarithmvaluesofIOPwerecalculatedandcompared.RESULTS:Thestudygroupwascomprisedof30patients(30eyes,16malesand14females)withrefractoryglaucoma.MeanpreoperativeIOPwas39.3±13.8mmHg.PostoperativemeanIOPwas15.7±7.1mmHg,19.6±12.8mmHgand13.9±14.2mmHgat12,24and56wkrespectively.BCVAwas≥6/60in11eyespreoperatively,andfiveeyeshadBCVA≥6/60at56wkpostoperatively.Preoperatively,morethanfourmedicationswereusedtotreatglaucomain21eyes.At12wkpostoperatively,nomedicationswererequiredtocontrolIOPin20eyes.At56wkpostoperatively,atleastonemedicationwasrequiredtocontrolIOPin10eyes.Overtheentirefollowupperiod,foureyesweretreatedwithyttriumaluminiumgarnet(YAG)laserand14eyesrequiredasecondsurgery.TheAGVwasremovedinfoureyes.CONCLUSION:AGVimplantationreducedIOPandthenumberofmedicationsrequiredtocontrolrefractoryglaucoma.However,therewasahigherriskofdecreasedvision.Long-termfollowupandpromptinterventionarerecommended.
