Trabeculectomy Beats Canaloplasty
December 22, 2011
December Archives: Researchers compared trab with canaloplasty, and found that although canaloplasty works well, the trab worked better- lower IOP (43% reduction vs. 32%), fewer meds post-op and lower rate of failure (IOP>18–4% vs. 12%). Canaloplasty is a good procedure- one just has to pick the appropriate patient, namely, one with less severe glaucoma, at less risk of blindness, and a patient who declines the surgical risk of trab.
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2 Responses to “Trabeculectomy Beats Canaloplasty”
you make a valid point–the P values were not great, thus making conclusions suspect. i didnt take note of that- thanks for bringing it up, and yes, one has to wonder why such a small sample size with not-so-great P values was published. may i suggest you write a letter to the editor! by the way, my error- it was published in Ophthalmology, not archives.
This study comparing trabeculectomy and canaloplasty is certain to be interpreted in many ways due to its small size. The suggestion that trabeculectomy “beats” canaloplasty is a bit of a stretch considering that the differences referenced did not meet statistical significance. If it is not statistically significant one cannot state with integrity that one was better than the other. This study was simply underpowered and probably should not have been published because it added little to what was already available in the literature.
A higher power study by Ike Ahmed completed two years ago with 100 patients showed no difference between trabeculectomy and canaloplasty in either IOP reduction or number of drops used. Importantly, however, the risks were fewer risks in the canaloplasty group.
