Volume 3 No. 3, July 2008

Scleral Tunnel versus Partial Thickness Scleral Flap for the Protection of the Tube of Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Implant
Tarek  Ragaiey

Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt
Tanta Med. Sc. J 2008; 3(3):101-108
Article type: Original article

Aim: To compare between efficacy and safety of scleral tunnel versus partial thickness scleral flap for the protection of the tube of Ahmed glaucoma valve implant. Patients & Methods: Twenty eyes of twenty patients with refractory glaucoma operated with Ahmed glaucoma valve were included in the study. Partial thickness scleral flap was used to cover the tube of the valve in 11 eyes (group 1) while scleral tunnel was used to cover the tube in 9 eyes (group 2). Results: The mean postoperative follow up period was 12 month. Postoperative data included pre & post operative IOP, comparison between the incidences of tube exposure, corneal touch in the two techniques together with postoperative complications. Conclusion: Scleral tunnel technique was found to be more save as regard the incidence of tube exposure& corneal touch. There was no statistical difference between postoperative IOP of both techniques.

ICID 871715