Minimally invasive bleb surgery for glaucoma

Ontario Health
Record ID 32018011342
English
Authors' objectives: Glaucoma is the term for a group of eye disorders that causes progressive damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to visual impairment and, potentially, irreversible blindness. Minimally invasive bleb surgery (MIBS) reduces eye pressure through the implantation of a device that creates a new subconjunctival outflow pathway for eye fluid drainage. MIBS is a less invasive alternative to conventional/incisional glaucoma surgery (e.g., trabeculectomy). We conducted a health technology assessment of MIBS for people with glaucoma, which included an evaluation of effectiveness, safety, the budget impact of publicly funding MIBS, and patient preferences and values.
Authors' results and conclusions: Minimally invasive bleb surgery reduces intraocular eye pressure and the number of antiglaucoma medications needed, but we are uncertain if the outcomes are similar to trabeculectomy (GRADE: Moderate to Very low). However, MIBS may be safer than trabeculectomy (GRADE: Moderate to Very low) and result in fewer follow-ups (GRADE: Moderate to Very low). MIBS may also improve glaucoma symptoms compared with other glaucoma treatments, but the evidence is very uncertain (GRADE: Very low). We estimate that publicly funding MIBS would result in an additional cost of $1.93 million over 5 years. Patients who underwent MIGS procedures found them to be generally successful and beneficial, with minimal side effects and recovery time. We could not draw conclusions about specific MIBS procedures or long-term outcomes.
Authors' recommendations: Ontario Health, based on guidance from the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee, recommends publicly funding minimally invasive bleb surgery for glaucoma
Authors' methods: We performed a systematic literature search of the clinical evidence. We assessed the risk of bias of each included study using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 1.0 tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Nonrandomized Studies (RoBANS) for comparative observational studies, and the quality of the body of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group criteria. We conducted an economic literature search and we estimated the budget impact of publicly funding MIBS in Ontario. We did not conduct a primary economic evaluation due to the limited long-term effectiveness data. We summarized the preferences and values evidence from previous health technology assessments to understand the perspectives and experiences of patients with glaucoma.
Details
Project Status: Completed
URL for project: https://www.hqontario.ca/evidence-to-improve-care/health-technology-assessment/reviews-and-recommendations/minimally-invasive-bleb-surgery-for-glaucoma
URL for protocol: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=409090
Year Published: 2024
URL for published report: https://www.hqontario.ca/evidence-to-improve-care/health-technology-assessment/reviews-and-recommendations/minimally-invasive-bleb-surgery-for-glaucoma
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Full HTA
Country: Canada
Pubmed ID: 38332948
MeSH Terms
  • Glaucoma
  • Intraocular Pressure
  • Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures
  • Trabeculectomy
  • Antiglaucoma Agents
  • Glaucoma Drainage Implants
Keywords
  • Glaucoma; Minimally Invasive Bleb Surgery; Trabeculectomy
Contact
Organisation Name: Ontario Health
Contact Address: 525 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 2L3
Contact Name: Nancy Sikich, Director Health Technology Assessment
Contact Email: oh-hqo_hta@ontariohealth.ca
Copyright: The copyright for all Ontario Health publications is owned by the King’s Printer for Ontario. Materials may be reproduced for commercial purposes only under a licence from the King’s Printer. For further information or to request a licence to reproduce content, please contact: Senior Copyright Advisor Publications Ontario | 416-326-5153 | Copyright@Ontario.ca
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.