Phaco-endocycloplasty versus Phacotrabeculectomy in Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma: A Prospective Randomized Study

To investigate the efficacy and safety of endocycloplasty (ECPL) versus trabeculectomy when it is combined with phacotrabeculectomy in medically controlled or uncontrolled primary angle-closure (PAC) or primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI).

Prospective, interventional, randomized control trial.

Subjects with PAC/PACG aged 30 years or more after LPI with visually significant cataract.

Subjects underwent computer-generated randomized sequence of either procedure, phaco-ECPL or phacotrabeculectomy, for standard indications of combined glaucoma and cataract surgery.

Primary outcome measure was intraocular pressure (IOP). Secondary outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), number of antiglaucoma medications (AGMs), complications, and failure.

A total of 45 eyes of 39 subjects were included. A total of 25 eyes underwent phaco-ECPL, and 20 eyes underwent phacotrabeculectomy. Five eyes in the phaco-ECPL group were excluded; 2 were excluded because laser was not delivered per protocol, and the rest had less than 3 months of follow-up. Mean follow-up was 16.25±8.1 months in the phaco-ECPL group and 18.9±9.5 months in the phacotrabeculectomy group. Mean preoperative and postoperative IOP, AGM, and BCVA did not differ between the groups. However, the rate of complications (P = 0.011) and interventions (P = 0.047) was greater in the phacotrabeculectomy group.

Both procedures are efficacious in lowering IOP in PACG, but the rate of complication and interventions for these were more in the phacotrabeculectomy group. Longer follow-up is indicated to probe the feasibility of phaco-ECPL, a minimally invasive procedure, as first-step management in PAC disease, for which combined cataract and glaucoma surgery is indicated.