Comparison of EX-PRESS Shunt and Trabeculectomy With Mitomycin-C in Congenital and Juvenile Glaucoma

Purpose: To compare efficacy and safety of EX-PRESS mini glaucoma shunt (Alcon) and trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C (MMC) in the management of pediatric glaucoma. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed patients from a single pediatric ophthalmology practice with either congenital or juvenile glaucoma who underwent surgical treatment with either trabeculectomy or EX-PRESS shunt insertion with MMC. Postoperative intraocular pressure at 6, 18, and 36 months, medication requirements, visual acuities, postoperative interventions, complications, and noncompliance with medications or follow-up was reviewed. Results: A total of 42 cases of glaucoma with either trabeculectomy or EX-PRESS shunt were identified for review (n trabeculectomy=25, n EX-PRESS=17). At 6 months, 62.5% of trabeculectomies and 94.1% of EX-PRESS shunts met criteria for success (P=0.0281). At 18 months, 38.1% of trabeculectomies and 81.3% of EX-PRESS shunts met criteria for success (P=0.0178). At 36 months, trabeculectomies had a success rate of 33.3% versus 66.7% for EX-PRESS shunts (P=0.321). The average decrease in medications postoperatively was 0.375 and 1.63 for trabeculectomy and EX-PRESS shunt, respectively (P=0.06). Preoperative visual acuities compared with postoperative best-corrected visual acuities before additional surgery demonstrated a slight average worsening of 0.11 logMAR in trabeculectomy patients and an average improvement of 0.56 logMAR in EX-PRESS shunt patients (P=0.0037). Conclusions: In this review, patients with pediatric glaucoma managed with EX-PRESS shunt with MMC compared with trabeculectomy with MMC appear to have better intraocular pressure control, better visual acuities, and fewer complications and reoperations.