Drainage glaucoma surgery

Abstract

Glaucoma is a chronic disease characterized by optical neuropathy, progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and nerve fiber layer, and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Currently, the most reliable way to achieve stable normalization of intraocular pressure is surgical treatment, and its success is measured by the duration of the hypotensive effect. However, surgical interventions do not always have a prolonged effect. One of the most drastic and effective ways of treating patients with glaucoma is surgery involving installation of a drainage implant. The use of implants in the area of surgical intervention is the most effective way to preserve the outflow routes of intraocular fluid created during antiglaucoma interventions. The use of implants is aimed at reducing excessive scarring in the filtration zone and at creating ways of resorption of intraocular fluid. In the history of glaucoma surgery, numerous designs for drainage implants have been proposed, differing from each other in material, drainage structure, implantation technique, and results. This literature review describes the types of anti-glaucoma drainage devices and their latest modifications, and presents the statistics of postoperative complications and long-term results of the use of foreign- and Russian-made implants in the treatment of glaucoma.