Anterior chamber tube shunt to an encircling band in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma and other refractory glaucomas. A long-term study.

Long-term follow-up results of the anterior chamber tube shunt to an encircling band (ACTSEB) procedure are reported. Thirty eyes of 28 patients with neovascular glaucoma (Group I) and five eyes with non-neovascular refractory glaucoma (Group II) underwent this procedure. In Group I, the average preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 57.1 mmHg. After surgery and average followup of 25 months 96% of eyes had a successful outcome with an average IOP of 15.8 mmHg (P less than 0.001). In Group II, despite multiple glaucoma surgical procedures, the average preoperative IOP was 54 mmHg. After surgery and average followup of 20 months 80% of eyes had a successful outcome with an average IOP of 19.8 mmHg (P less than 0.01). Revisions in our surgical technique utilizing a small entry with a 25-gauge needle into the anterior chamber and use of Healon resulted in a fully formed anterior chamber by two days. Clinical and experimental evidence is presented which suggest that aqueous filters through the tube to a reservoir around the encircling band.