A comparison of iStent combined with phacoemulsification and endocyclophotocoagulation (ICE2) with the PreserFlo MicroShunt and XEN-45 implants

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), including minimally invasive bleb surgery (MIBS), is a rapidly evolving area of research and clinical interest in ophthalmology. The growing number of devices has necessitated evaluations to identify subtle differences in outcomes between treatments. OBJECTIVES: To compare clinical effectiveness and safety outcomes of iStent combined with endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ICE2) with bleb forming PreserFlo MicroShunt (PMS) and XEN-45 gel implant in a 24-month retrospective review. DESIGN: A retrospective review of patient records. METHODS: We compared outcomes of 247 patients undergoing one of three glaucoma procedures (ICE2 = 162; PMS = 48; XEN-45 = 37) at a single facility in the United Kingdom. Clinical records were reviewed retrospectively between July 2016 and May 2020. Pairwise comparisons and within group analyses were performed to assess intraocular pressure (IOP), best-corrected LogMAR visual acuity (BCVA), the Humphrey visual fields and antiglaucoma medication outcomes across the three treatment groups. RESULTS: No statistically significantly differences in IOP between the groups at day 7, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months. PMS had statistically significantly change in IOP between baseline and day 7 compared with ICE2 (p = 0.003). BCVA was statistically significant different at 24 months between the ICE2 compared with PMS group (0.12 versus 0.33 LogMAR; p = 0.002). PMS group achieved the largest decline in medication usage between baseline a 24-month follow-up (2.9 versus 0.9; p < 0.001), with no statistically significant difference in the number of antiglaucoma medications being used between groups at 24 months. Postoperative complications in all three groups were transient and could be resolved with office-based interventions. CONCLUSION: Real-world outcomes after 24 months were similar between patients undergoing MIGS and MIBS procedures.