AIM: To observe the reason and surgery treatment of shallow anterior chamber after three association techniques(compound trabeculectomy+phacoemulsification+intraocular lens implantation).

METHODS:Totally 17 eyes of 17 cases with shallow anterior chamber were treated with compound trabeculectomy+ phacoemulsification +intraocular lens implantation, the shallow anterior chamber appeared after 20 days-4 months, an average of 1.6±0.5 months; Before operation, intraocular pressure was 28.2-43.3mmHg, average 33.2±5.7mmHg(1mmHg=0.133 kPa); best-corrected visual acuity in 7 cases was <0.05, in 5 cases was 0.05-0.1, in 3 cases was 0.1-0.3, in 2 cases was >0.3. 16 eyes had the obvious pupillary posterior synechiae. 3 eyes underwent the purely nonirrigation anterior vitrectomy, 14 eyes underwent the nonirrigation anterior vitrectomy+ peripheral iridoctomy at 6 position, in which 2 eyes had experienced two or more operations. All cases were observed for 12 months.

RESULTS: The successful rate of chamber formation for the first operation was 88.2%(15/17). The rate of experienced two or more operations was 11.8%(2/17); best-corrected visual acuity in 3 cases was <0.05, in 2 cases was 0.05-0.1, in 7 cases was 0.1-0.3, in 5 cases was >0.3. After operation, intraocular pressure was 14.7±3.4 mmHg, all patients had no shallow anterior chamber, bleb leakage, choroidal detachment, malignant glaucoma, choroidal hyphema and so on.

CONCLUSION:Pupillary posterior synechiae is the main reason of shallow anterior chamber after three association techniques. The nonirrigation anterior vitrectomy+the peripheral iridoctomy is an effective, reliable method to treat shallow anterior chamber after three association techniques.