Autologous blood injection: alternative treatment for bleb leak

Abstract

Background: To report a case of post-glaucoma drainage device (GDD) surgery with multiple small conjunctival defects treated with autologous blood injection.Case presentation: A 28-year-old female with a history of juvenile open-angle glaucoma who had undergone multiple glaucoma surgeries with antimetabolite injections for uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) of the left eye since 2006 underwent Baerveldt glaucoma implantation in 2017. One year postoperatively, she experienced persistent hypotony, which could not be resolved with a scleral bandage contact lens. Ocular examination revealed visual acuity of 6/9 and IOP of 8 mmHg. Multiple leakage points were identified with fluorescein at the junction between the plate and the tube. Subconjunctival injection of 1 ml autologous blood was administered near the conjunctival defects. Five months postoperatively, the leakage was sealed with IOP of 12 mmHg.Conclusion: Autologous blood injection can be used as an alternative procedure for treating leaking blebs after a GDD surgery.