Anthrayose Kakkanatt C. V1, Sapna Mohan2, Anu F. Anand3, Geoffrey Joju4
BACKGROUND
The histological and epidemiological characteristics of pterygium suggests that the UV radiation plays a role in the pathogen
esis
by producing a chronic inflammatory cellular infiltration with inflammatory o edema and cell induced angiogenesis. Many surgica l
techniques and modifications have failed to prevent recurrent pterygium.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study included 238 eyes of 182 patients with primary pterygium. The patients were followed up for a period of 2 years. Th
e
patients were managed with different surgical techniques and were grouped into three categories. Group 1 patients were treate d
wi th excision and conjunctival rotation pedicle graft. Group 2 were treated with excision followed by conjunctival autograft.
Group 3 were treated with excision followed by postoperative instillation of mitomycin C (MMC) drops 0.02%. Age varied from
22 58 ye ars. Male and female distributions were made equal in all 3 groups.
RESULTS
Complications noted were h
a emorrhage, chemosis, foreign body sensation and scleral melt. Complication rate noted in the
groups were 16% in group 1, 7% in group 2 and 9% in group 3 . A cosmetic blemish or regrowth of fibrovascular tissue was
considered as recurrence. Recurrence rate in group 1 were 15%, group 2 were 9% and group 3 were 8%.
CONCLUSION
In this study, it was found that recurrence of pterygium was comparably less in groups that underwent conjunctival autograft
and topical MMC treatment. However, c onjunctival autograft is the preferred procedure over topical MMC due to complications
associa ted with MMC treatment.
KEYWORDS
Pterygium, Complications, Recurrence, Conjunctiva, Autograft.
