Morphometric analysis of the anterior chamber in patients with refractory glaucoma after micropulse cyclophotocoagulation

Abstract

PURPOSE. To evaluate the anatomical-topographic parameters of the anterior chamber of the eye before and after micropulse cyclophotocoagulation (mCPC) in patients with refractory glaucoma in pseudophakic and phakic eyes.METHODS. The study included 60 patients (62 eyes) with moderate (7 eyes) and advanced (55 eyes) refractory glaucoma. Study groups were formed as follows: the 1st group consisted of 31 pseudophakic eyes (32 patients), the 2nd group included 31 phakic eyes (30 patients). All patients underwent mCPC according to a modified technique. To assess anatomical parameters patients underwent optical coherence tomography of the anterior segment (AS-OCT). Anterior chamber angle (ACA) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were measured at specific follow-up time points after mCPC.RESULTS. Hypotensive effect by the end of 12-month follow-up was achieved in the patients of the first group in 83.1% of cases, in the second group — in 80.6% of cases (p<0.05). According to OCT findings, anterior chamber depth in patients with phakic eyes during the 12-month follow-up remained the same as before surgery — 2.43±0.21 (mm). In the other group with pseudophakic eyes, anterior chamber depth also did not change during the observation period, with an average value of 3.27±0.12 (mm). No significant changes (p>0.05) were found in the irido-corneal angle measurements in the 4 meridians over the entire follow-up period in both groups.CONCLUSION. Micropulse cyclophotocoagulation performed at fluence rate F=121 J/cm2 does not result in changes of structures of the anterior segment of the eye. The stability of anterior chamber anatomy as well as the absence of postoperative complications in early and longterm follow-up proved the minimal traumatic effect of this surgery in patients with refractory glaucoma.