Corneoscleral trephining for chronic glaucoma gives satisfactory results in only about 75 per cent of cases. Any procedure which will increase this percentage is therefore worthy of recording, and I wish to suggest that the routine injection of air beneath the conjunctival flap and into the anterior chamber at operation may be of value in this connection.
My experience leads me to believe that the presence of air beneath the conjunctiva will prevent the adhesion of the flap to the underlying sclera for approximately eight days, as it requires about this length of time for complete absorption of the air. The injection of air into the empty anterior chamber restores it immediately and allows the aqueous to replace the air gradually. This is accomplished in about a week's time.
BENEFITS OF PROCEDURE
I shall first consider the benefits to be obtained from the two effects just stated. As advised by