Prospective Evaluation of Standalone XEN Gel Implant and Combined Phacoemulsification-XEN Gel Implant Surgery: 1-Year Results

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of XEN gel implant (Allergan Inc., Irvine) as a standalone versus combined XEN-Phacoemulsification surgery (XEN+cataract) in glaucoma patients.

Methods: Prospective, interventional study. One-hundred forty-nine eyes (113 patients) with open-angle glaucoma and uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) despite medical treatment were enrolled at a tertiary glaucoma center and followed up for a minimum of 1 year. Approximately two-thirds of patients underwent combined XEN+cataract surgery, while the remainder had XEN alone surgery. Primary outcome was a 20% or more decrease in IOP from medicated baseline at 1 year. Mean IOP, mean number of medications at last follow-up, and incidence of adverse effects were analyzed.

Results: Of 149 enrolled eyes, data of 87 (58%) were available at 1 year. A total of 109 (73.2%) eyes underwent XEN+cataract surgery and 40 (26.8%) XEN alone surgery. Mean medicated IOP was 20.0±7.1 at baseline and 13.9±4.3 mm Hg at 1 year (P<0.01), a 31% IOP reduction. Mean medications dropped from 1.9±1.3 preoperatively to 0.5±0.8 at 1 year (P<0.001). In total, 62.1% of patients achieved a ≥20% IOP reduction; this proportion was higher in the XEN alone group. 57.7% of eyes achieved complete success (without any antiglaucoma medications) and 71.1% qualified success (with or without medications) when IOP<16 mm Hg was considered as the definition of success. In all, 37% of patients required needling intervention. Adverse effects included bleb revision in 5 eyes, choroidal detachment in 2 eyes, and second glaucoma surgery in 9 eyes.

Conclusions: The XEN gel implant as a standalone procedure or combined with cataract surgery demonstrated safe and sustained IOP reduction after 1 year.