[The treatment of failed trabecular surgery in glaucoma with ultrasound (Sonocare)]

Abstract

We have treated 62 recently post-operative eyes with non functioning trabeculectomies at the site of the failed bleb with one to four ultrasound applications each of five seconds duration and at an intensity level of 10 kw/cm2; 32 eyes were phakic, 7 aphakic, and 23 pseudophakic (anterior or posterior chamber). The two groups of patients showed the best response when the ultrasound treatment was performed three to twelve weeks after the last trabeculectomy; 82% are success in the phakic group, and 68% in the aphakic or pseudophakic group after three months. After the ultrasound treatment, 5FU subconjunctival injections seem to be effective in the very bad cases with a low rate of complications.