Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP) for childhood glaucoma: a large single-center cohort experience

Purpose: To assess the factors associated with successful outcomes in the management of childhood glaucoma treated with endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP) as both primary and adjunctive surgery. Methods: The medical records of consecutive children with glaucoma treated by a single surgeon at a single center over a 17-year period using ECP procedures were reviewed retrospectively. Treatment failure was defined as (1) intraocular pressure (IOP) >24 mm Hg at two consecutive examinations despite maximal medical treatment, (2) any additional glaucoma surgery, (3) sight-threatening complications, or (4) progression to no light perception visual acuity. Success was defined as the absence of treatment failure. Results: A total of 107 ECP procedures on 80 eyes of 70 children were included. Glaucoma diagnoses included: following-cataract-surgery (60%), anterior segment dysgenesis (13%), primary congenital (9%), and other (19%). Most eyes (67 [84%]) had prior glaucoma surgery, and 73 (91%) were aphakic or pseudophakic at first ECP. Median follow-up was 2.2 years (IQR, 1.1-3.5) after initial ECP; mean number of ECP treatments per eye was 1.3 (range, 1-3). Success for a single ECP treatment at 1, 3, and 5 years (Kaplan-Meier analysis) was 64% (95% CI, 54-76), 36% (26-50), and 16% (7-37), respectively. Cumulative success (≥1 ECP) at 5 years was 34% (23-50). In multivariable analysis, of many risk factors considered, only a preoperative IOP of <32 mm Hg was significantly associated with treatment success. Conclusions: ECP represents a modestly effective long-term therapy for childhood glaucoma and may be most successful in patients with preoperative IOP of <32 mm Hg.