Trabeculectomy vs thermosclerostomy. A randomized prospective clinical trial
P. Blondeau and C. D. Phelps
In a prospective randomized clinical trial we compared the efficacy and
safety of trabeculectomy and thermosclerostomy for the treatment of open
angle glaucoma. Forty-eight eyes was treated by trabeculectomy and 50 eyes
were treated by thermosclerostomy. The mean follow-up period was 2.7 years.
Thermosclerostomy lowered intraocular pressure about 3 mm Hg lower than
trabeculectomy on the average. However, the percentage of eyes with
pressures less than 22 mm Hg was not different for the two operations. The
main difference between trabeculectomy and thermosclerostomy was the number
of complications. Postoperative flat anterior chamber, decrease in visual
acuity, cataract, hypotony, and thin bleb with late perforation or
infection all occurred more frequently after thermosclerostomy. In
conclusion, although trabeculectomy is slightly less effective than
thermosclerostomy in lowering pressure, its relative freedom from
complications make it is more desirable filtering operation.
