Secondary uveitic glaucoma in children can only be controlled in many cases by surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of trabeculectomy (TE) with administration of mitomycin C in children with secondary uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
This study was a retrospective chart review of 21 children with uveitic glaucoma who underwent TE with administration of mitomycin C including analysis of complications, further interventions, additional surgical procedures to control intraocular pressure (IOP) and of the success rates after a mean follow-up of 5 years.
Defining success as an IOP ≤ 15 mmHg, the surgical success rate after TE was 55 % after 1 year and 38 % after 5 years but 43 % of the children required further IOP controlling operations in the long-term follow-up. An IOP ≤ 15 mmHg was observed in 70 % of the children after 1 year and in 62 % after 5 years. In regard to the overall success (with topical antiglaucomatous medication) the success rate increased to 71.4 % after 5 years.
The results show that TE is a suitable surgical procedure to control IOP in secondary uveitic glaucoma of JIA patients. In the long-term follow up additional postoperative adjustments are necessary to control the IOP.