Laser suture lysis after mitomycin C trabeculectomy

To evaluate the timing, efficacy, and complications of laser suture lysis (LSL) after mitomycin C trabeculectomy in patients with glaucoma at high risk for failure of filtering surgery. The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts of 62 consecutive patients who underwent a total of 66 sessions of LSL after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C. The interval from surgery to LSL ranged from 2 to 65 days (mean +/- standard deviation, 17.9 +/- 14.9 days). The average intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction after LSL was 11.9 +/- 8.9 mmHg (range, 3-40 mmHg). A longer interval to LSL was correlated with a lesser degree of pressure reduction (P=0.0004, Wilcoxon rank-sum test). After LSL, hypotony developed in 13 (21%) patients (IOP < 6 mmHg on 2 consecutive measurements at least 24 hours apart). This resolved spontaneously after 7 to 304 days (104.1 +/- 109.1 days) in 12 (92%) of the 13 patients. Life-table success rates (success defined as 6 mmHg