Glaucoma drainage devices (GDD) are increasingly utilized in the management of childhood glaucoma. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the efficacy of first-time Ahmed or Baerveldt implantation in children. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant English-language, peer-reviewed literature. Postoperative outcomes were pooled using random effects regression models with restricted maximum likelihood estimation. Thirty-two studies (1221 eyes, 885 children) were included. Mean ± standard deviation preoperative IOP was 31.8±3.4 mmHg. Pooled mean IOP at 12 and 24 months postoperatively were 16.5 mmHg (95% CI 15.5-17.6) and 17.6 mmHg (95% CI 16.4-18.7), respectively. Pooled proportions of success were 0.87 (95% CI 0.83-0.91) at 12 months, 0.77 (95% CI 0.71-0.83) at 24 months, 0.54 (95% CI 0.44-0.65) at 48 months, 0.60 (95% CI 0.48-0.71) at 60 months, and 0.37 (95% CI 0.32-0.42) at 120 months. There were no differences in proportion of success at 12 and 24 months among eyes that received Ahmed and Baerveldt tube shunts, nor between eyes with primary glaucoma, glaucoma following cataract surgery or other secondary glaucoma. Our findings show that Ahmed and Baerveldt shunts substantially reduced IOP for at least 24 months in childhood glaucoma, with similar findings among device types and glaucoma etiologies.
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