Microshunt PRESERFLO™ for microinvasive glaucoma surgery

The current gold standard of glaucoma surgery is trabeculectomy, which allows sustained reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP). However, trabeculectomy is relatively traumatic and is associated with a risk of specific complications. As a result, a number of devices for microinvasive glaucoma surgery have been developed, designed to create a hypotensive effect comparable to trabeculectomy, coupled with minimal surgical trauma. Microshunt PRESERFLO™ (Santen) is a polymer microshunt that facilitats the outflow of aqueous humor into the subconjunctival space with the formation of a filtering bleb. It is implanted through a subconjunctival approach, typical for trabeculectomy, however, due to the controlled aqueous outflow it minimizes the risk of complications typical for glaucoma interventions. Long-term (up to 5 years) efficacy and safety of PRESERFLO™ microshunt implantation have been demonstrated in a number of studies, including those comparing PRESERFLO™ with other surgeries. Meta-analyses comparing PRESERFLO™ and trabeculectomy show comparable efficacy of the interventions with a lower risk of complications in PRESERFLO™. Studies comparing PRESERFLO™ with similarly designed microshunt XEN (Allergan, Plc, Ireland) show that PRESERFLO™ is either equally or more effective.