Improvement to trabeculectomy

Abstract

The current invention relates to the improvement of trabeculectomy surgery. The improvement more specifically resides in an extended lifetime of the sclera-corneal drainage channel created by trabeculectomy surgery. The improvement is obtained by post-surgical administration of a plasmin or active derivative thereof in the form of topical eye drops alone, by anterior chamber injection alone, or by any combination of these.

1 . A plasmin or an active truncated variant thereof for treating filtration failure after trabeculectomy surgery of an eye, or for preventing, reducing or retarding the occurrence of filtration failure after trabeculectomy surgery of an eye. 
     
     
         2 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 1  which is in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation capable of being administered to an eye as topical eye drops. 
     
     
         3 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 1  which is in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation capable of being administered by injection into the anterior chamber of an eye. 
     
     
         4 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 1  wherein said treating of filtration failure after trabeculectomy surgery of an eye, or said preventing, reducing or retarding of the occurrence of filtration failure after trabeculectomy surgery of an eye results from contacting said eye with an effective amount of topical eye drops comprising said plasmin or variant thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 1  wherein said treating of filtration failure after trabeculectomy surgery of an eye, or said preventing, reducing or retarding of the occurrence of filtration failure after trabeculectomy surgery of an eye results from introduction into the anterior chamber of an eye of an effective amount of said plasmin or variant thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 1  wherein said treating of filtration failure after trabeculectomy surgery of an eye, or said preventing, reducing or retarding of the occurrence of filtration failure after trabeculectomy surgery of an eye results from contacting said eye with an effective amount of said plasmin or variant thereof via topical eye drops comprising said plasmin or variant thereof, combined with introduction into the anterior chamber of an eye of said plasmin or variant thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 1  wherein said active truncated variant of plasmin is lacking one or more kringle domains and/or lacking parts of one or more kringle domains. 
     
     
         8 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 1  wherein said active truncated variant of plasmin is selected from the group consisting of midiplasmin, miniplasmin, microplasmin or deltaplasmin. 
     
     
         9 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 1  which is in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation further comprising one or more of an agent for controlling the intra-ocular pressure, an anti-inflammatory agent, an antiviral agent, an antibacterial agent, an antiviral agent, an anti-angiogenic agent, an anti-mitotic agent, an antihistamine, an anesthetic, an agent to induce mydriasis and an agent to induce cycloplegia. 
     
     
         10 . The plasmin or variant thereof according to  claim 4  wherein said eye is contacted further with one or more agents chosen from an agent for controlling the intraocular pressure, an anti-inflammatory agent, an antiviral agent, an antibacterial agent, an antiviral agent, an anti-angiogenic agent, an anti-mitotic agent, an antihistamine, an anesthetic, an agent to induce mydriasis and an agent to induce cycloplegia.