Ahmed valve glaucoma implant tube shortening procedure

Abstract

A glaucoma implant is often used for the treatment of refractory glaucoma. Occasionally, the tube in the ante- rior chamber may be excessively long from excess advancement of the implant when inserted by inexperienced surgeons. The long tube may touch the cornea and lens and may affect the vision if it is beyond the pupillary margin. Shortening the tube requires opening up the conjunctiva and the patch graft covering the extraocular portion of the tube; removing the tube and reinserting it into the anterior chamber. This case report describes an easy technique for shortening an Ahmed valve glau- coma implant tube with excessive length in the anterior chamber. The technique involves intracameral shorten- ing of the tube without removing it from the anterior chamber. This minimizes the risks associated with removal and reinsertion of the tube and removes the necessity for conjunctival dissection and suturing.