XEN Gel Stent versus trabeculectomy: Short-term effects on corneal endothelial cells

Abstract

Purpose To compare the short-term changes in corneal endothelial cells after trabeculectomy or XEN Gel Stent implantation. Design Prospective, interventional, comparative study. Methods Changes in corneal endothelium in patients that underwent XEN Gel Stent implantation or trabeculectomy were prospectively evaluated. Eighty eyes of 62 diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma were divided into two the trabeculectomy and XEN Gel Stent groups. Corneal specular microscopy was performed at the central cornea using a noncontact specular microscope preoperatively and 3 months after surgery. Results The baseline mean corneal endothelial cell density in the trabeculectomy group was 2390.3 ± 324.8 cells/mm2, and this was significantly reduced to 2148 ± 352.5 cells/mm2 3 months after surgery, representing a cell loss of 10.0% (p < 0.001). The baseline mean corneal endothelial cell density in the XEN Gel Stent group was 2156.2 ±559.7 cells/mm2, and this was significantly reduced to 2098.4 ± 556.2 cells/mm2 3 months after surgery, representing a cell loss of 2.1% (p = 0.002). The corneal endothelial cell density change rate of the trabeculectomy group (−10.0% ± 9.7%) was statistically higher than the XEN Gel Stent group (−2.1% ± 13.8%) (p = 0.002). A statistically significant difference was observed in the trabeculectomy group between the baseline and postoperative values in the coefficient of variation (p = 0.029). Conclusion Trabeculectomy caused more endothelial cell damage than XEN Gel Stent implantation in the short-term follow-up period. The XEN Gel Stent may be the treatment of choice in patients with a significantly low preoperative corneal endothelial cell density.