ABSTRACT
To compare the efficacy of preoperative local injection of mitomycin C [MMC] to intraoperative application of MMC in the prevention of pterygium recurrence after surgical removal. Seventy eyes of 70 patients with primary pterygia were randomly allocated to two groups. The first group [Group A, 35 eyes] received 0.1 ml of 0.15 mg/ml of subconjunctival MMC injected into the head of the pterygium 24 h before surgical excision with the bare sclera technique. The second group [Group B 35 eyes] underwent surgical removal with the bare sclera technique with intraoperative application of MMC [0.15 mg/ml] over bare sclera for 3 min. The study was performed between March 2007 and December 2008, and follow up was performed for 1 year postoperatively. Differences between frequencies in both groups were compared by the Chi-square test or Fisher exact test. Differences between means in both groups were compared by Student's t-test. P < 0.05 was considered significant. The rate of pterygium recurrence was 5.70% in Group A and 8.57% in Group B at 1 year postoperatively [P>0.05]. Postoperatively, scleral thinning occurred in one eye in each group that resolved by 5 months postoperatively. No serious postoperative complications occurred in either group. Preoperative local injection of 0.15 mg/ml MMC is as effective as intraoperative topical application of 0.15 mg/ml MMC for preventing pterygium recurrence after surgical removal