Mitomycin C primary trabeculectomy with releasable sutures in primary glaucoma.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effects of mitomycin C and a releasable suture technique on outcomes of primary trabeculectomy in primary glaucoma patients. METHODS A prospective analysis of patients who underwent primary trabeculectomy with a mitomycin C concentration of 0.2 mg/mL for 2 minutes. For closing the scleral flap, releasable sutures were used in 18 patients (17 eyes), Group 1, or permanent sutures in 18 patients (20 eyes), Group 2. Clinical outcome factors including postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, and incidence of complications were determined. RESULTS The mean follow-up periods were 8.1 +/- 1.3 months in Group 1 and 8.3 +/- 1.3 months in Group 2. The postoperative reduction in IOP was highly significant (P <.0001) at all time intervals in both groups. In all measurement of IOP before the second week, mean IOP in Group 2 was found significantly lower than the mean IOP in Group 1 (P =.01). No statistically significant differences were found between the groups at later mean IOP measurements. At the last visit, the complete success rate was 88.8% in Group 1 and 85.0% in Group 2. No serious complications such as hypotonous maculopathy were observed in any patient. CONCLUSION Primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C in eyes with primary glaucoma showed effective IOP pressure reduction. There were no cases of serious complications. In the early postoperative period IOP was controlled better in the releasable suture group.