Transient ciliochoroidal detachment after 360-degree suture trabeculotomy ab interno for open-angle glaucoma: 12-month follow-up

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of ciliochoroidal detachment (CCD) after 360-degree suture trabeculotomy ab interno (360S-LOT ab interno) on intraocular pressure (IOP) and postoperative complications during a 12-month follow-up. METHODS: We prospectively examined 44 eyes of 44 patients for 12 months after 360S-LOT ab interno surgery. Inclusion criteria were open-angle glaucoma including primary open-angle glaucoma, normal tension glaucoma, and exfoliation glaucoma without previous glaucoma surgeries. CCD was detected by swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Outcome measures were the course of IOP, the number of medications, and the postoperative complications of the CCD group compared with those of the non-CCD group. RESULTS: CCD appeared in 21 eyes (47.7%) within postoperative day 7 and disappeared within postoperative month 1 in 19 of 21 eyes. Although the IOP on postoperative day 1 in the CCD group (11.9 ± 7.7 mmHg) was significantly lower than that in the non-CCD group (19.2 ± 12.8 mmHg) (P = 0.020), the difference in the postoperative IOP between the groups decreased with time. No significant difference was seen in the number of medications and postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: CCD occurred in approximately half of patients after 360S-LOT ab interno and may have the transient effect of lowering the IOP immediately after surgery. Postoperative CCD had no effect on the later IOP, the number of medications and postoperative complications throughout 12-month of follow-up.