MIDTERM REVERSIBLE FAILURE IN TRABECULECTOMIES WITH ADJUNCTIVE MITOMYCIN-C

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Trabeculectomies usually fail early (< 21 d ays) or late (> 6 months) when no antifibrotic agent is used. Failure is uncommon during the midterm period, between 3 weeks and 6 months. T he purpose of this study is to verify the incidence of failure of trab eculectomies with mitomycin-C (MMC) during the midterm period and to e valuate the safety and efficacy of laser suture lysis (LSL) for revers ing it. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed the records of 130 consecutive patients who underwent trabeculectomy with adjunctive MMC. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (15 eyes) had increased intraocular pressu re (IOP), between 21 and 185 days (median 41 days). LSL was effective in decreasing the IOP to acceptable levels in 10 (66.6%) of the 15 eye s. No complications related to LSL were noticed. CONCLUSION: The rever sibility of midterm failure seems to be a unique feature of trabeculec tomies with MMC.