Experience with the Czech Glaucoma Silicone Implant (GSI) in a MulticentricStudy

Overview

Purpose:
To evaluate the experience with a glaucoma implant in complicatedglaucoma, designed in collaboration with the Institute of Polymers in Prague.Methods: In a multicentric retrospective study 91 eyes of 86 patients with otherwiseuncontrollable glaucoma underwent GSI implantation in four departments.The implant of medical silicone consists of a tube with an internal diameter of 0,4mm, connected to a round lens-shaped episcleral plate 169mm2, covering the tubeorifice from above. The indications were infantile glaucoma (14 eyes), traumaticglaucoma (14 eyes), various secondary glaucomas in 12, primary open-angle glaucoma in 11, neovascular and after PPV in 10 eyes each, usually after unsuccessfulprevious surgery.Results: The average follow-up time was 20,5 months (SD ± 19,5). Postoperativeintraocular pressure at the last control was 6-22 mmHg in 56 eyes (50,95 %). Lifetable analysis showeda cumulative probability of 494%(at least qualified success).Long-term hypotony was seen in 6 eyes.Conclusions: The GSI is comparable with similar tube shunts but is much lessexpensive. In vitro experiments are planned to improve the construction of theimplant and its results.

Key words:
glaucoma silicone implant, multicentric study