Abstract

AIMS/BACKGROUND The introduction of the adjunctive use of antiproliferatives to trabeculectomy has greatly improved the success rate of this operation. Trabeculectomy with antiproliferative treatment, however, is usually associated with a cystic and thin walled filtering bleb, which may be more susceptible to infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence, clinical findings, and risk factors of delayed onset, bleb related infection after trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C (MMC) or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment.

METHODS The records of 632 glaucoma patients who underwent 966 trabeculectomies, with and without the use of adjunctive MMC or 5-FU treatment, between January 1985 and February 1995 were analysed. The mean follow up period was 3.5 (2.4) years (range 0.1 to 11.2 years). The mean patient age was 54.8 (18.8) years (range 0 to 88 years).

RESULTS Bleb related infection occurred in one of 76 trabeculectomies that did not receive antiproliferatives (1.3%), three of 228 treated with 5-FU (1.3%) trabeculectomies, and seven of 662 treated with MMC (1.1%). Five eyes developed blebitis; six eyes developed endophthalmitis. Bleb related infection developed an average of 3.1 (1.6) (range 0.4 to 6.0) years after trabeculectomy. All eyes had avascular or hypovascular blebs that were cystic in shape before infection and all eyes had reduced intraocular pressure. Early wound leaks and chronic, intermittent bleb leaks were identified to be risk factors for the bleb related infection.

CONCLUSION The incidence of delayed onset, bleb related infection after trabeculectomy with antiproliferative treatment is similar to that after trabeculectomy without antiproliferatives.