AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of one-site versus two-site phacotrabeculectomy in the treatment of patients with coexisting cataract and glaucoma. METHODS: A comprehensive literature meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane Collaboration methodology to identify controlled clinical trials comparing one-site with two-site phacotrabeculectomy. The studies meeting the predefined criteria were reviewed systematically by meta-analysis. Efficacy estimates were measured by standardised mean difference (SMD) for the percentage intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction from baseline to end point, odds ratio (OR) for the percentage having a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0.5 or better after surgery and relative risk (RR) for complete success rates. Tolerability estimates were measured by RR for adverse events. All of outcomes were reported with 95% confidence interval (CI). Data were synthesised by Stata 10.1 for Windows. RESULTS: Two-site phacotrabeculectomy was associated with numerically greater, and significant efficacy than one-site in lowering IOP (SMD, -0.19; 95% CI, -0.33 to -0.04; P=0.01). Numerically greater, but nonsignificant proportions of two-site patients than one-site patients had a BCVA of 0.5 or better (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.30 to 1.39; P=0.26).Numerically greater, but nonsignificant proportions of two-site patients than one-site patients achieved the target IOP without anti-glaucoma medication at the end point (RR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.04; P=0.22). Furthermore, there was nonsignificant difference in adverse events between two surgical procedures. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of two-site phacotrabecu- lectomy appears to be superior to one-site phacotrabecul- ectomy. One-site and two-site phacotrabeculectomy are similarly tolerable in postoperative adverse events.