AIM: To compare the clinical efficacy of compound and simple trabeculectomy for glaucoma.

METHODS: Totally 73 cases(82 eyes)glaucoma patients were randomly divided into group A 37 cases(42 eyes)and group B 36 cases(40 eyes)which received compound and simple trabeculectomy respectively, all patients were followed up for 3 months and the incidence of shallow anterior chamber, bleb formation and control of intraocular pressure of both groups were observed and compared.

RESULTS: The incidence of shallow anterior chamber of group A and group B were 4.8%(Ⅰ degree)and 35.0%(Ⅰdegree+Ⅱdegree)respectively, the difference between groups was statistically significant(P<0.05); to the end of follow-up, 38 eyes(90.5%)got functional bleb in group A and 28 eyes(70.0%)got functional bleb in group B, the functional bleb formation rate had statistical difference between groups(P<0.05); in 3 months post-operation, a total of 37 eyes(88.1%)got complete control of intraocular pressure in group A which was significantly higher than group B(52.5%), the difference between groups was statistically significant(P<0.05); the mean intraocular pressure of group A in 3 months post-operation was 15.2±2.3mmHg which was significantly lower than group B(18.5±2.5mmHg), the difference between groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Compound trabeculectomy can effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative shallow anterior chamber; its efficacy is also obvious in functional filtering bleb formation and intraocular pressure control which is significantly better than that of simple trabeculectomy.