Single-pass four-throw pupilloplasty for secondary angle-closure glaucoma associated with silicon oil tamponade

Abstract

Purpose:

To describe the feasibility and efficacy of performing single-pass four-throw pupilloplasty for secondary angle-closure glaucoma post silicon oil tamponade.

Methods:

The procedure was performed in five eyes of five patients. All the cases underwent silicon oil removal with single-pass four-throw pupilloplasty. Single-pass four-throw procedure involves a single pass of needle through the iris tissue that is to be apposed followed by taking four throws by passing the suture end through the loop that is withdrawn from the anterior chamber as in a modified Siepser’s slip-knot technique. Both the suture ends are pulled and this leads to sliding of the loop into the anterior chamber. Surgical pupilloplasty stretches the peripheral iris tissue and helps in breaking the peripheral anterior synechia. Intraoperative gonioscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography were performed in all the cases.

Results:

Intraoperative gonioscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography demonstrated opening of the anterior chamber angles with breakage of peripheral anterior synechia. The mean preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity in logarithm of minimum angle of resolution was 1.24 ± 0.23 and 0.56 ± 0.18, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure was 38.2 ± 4.97 and 13.0 ± 2.35 mm Hg, respectively. There was a significant decrease in intraocular pressure and marked improvement in visual acuity in all the cases.

Conclusion:

Surgical pupilloplasty helps to relieve the post-silicon oil-induced secondary angle-closure glaucoma by breaking peripheral anterior synechia and significantly opening the anterior chamber angles.