SULFUR-HEXAFLUORIDE IN THE TREATMENT OF FLAT ANTERIOR-CHAMBER FOLLOWING TRABECULECTOMY

The efficacy and side effects of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) in the ref ormation of the flat anterior chamber (AC) after standard trabeculecto mies were studied, Ten patients with lenticulocorneal touch following trabeculectomy were enrolled, All had water-tight conjunctival wounds with overflowing fistulas. In 5, one to four surgical attempts to refo rm the AC were unsuccessful. Two to seven days after trabeculectomy, t he AC was reformed by a single injection of SF6/air mixture (20-40%). Gas was injected through the limbus at 3 or 9 o'clock. The AC remained deep after absorption of the gas in 2-7 days. All patients had stroma l oedema in the first 4 days. This resolved and specular microscopy di d not show any abnormality. After a mean follow-up of 2.5 years, all h ad normal intraocular pressure, 3 with one topical antiglaucoma treatm ent. Three patients developed cataracts before and 3 after reformation of the AC. The latter 3 were not anterior capsular cataracts as induc ed by gases. SF6/air mixture (20-40%) is inert and kind to the cornea and, as it is absorbed in less than 7 days, it exerts minimal damage t o the crystalline lens. It is effective in the reformation of flat ACs .