Recurrence and Complication Rates among Current Pterygium Treatment Techniques: Pre-operative Subpterygeal Mitomycin-C Injection, Intraoperative Mitomycin C Application and Pterygium Excision with Conjunctival Autograft

ABSTRACT

Objective@#This study aims to determine recurrence and complication rates among patients who underwent three current pterygium treatment techniques preoperative subpterygeal injection of mitomycin C, intraoperative application of mitomycin with pterygium excision and pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft. @*Methods@#This is a randomized controlled clinical trial in a tertiary hospital. We included patients with diagnosed primary pterygium and who underwent either A = pre-operative injection of 0.02% mitomycin C one month prior to pterygium excision; B = pterygium excision with intraoperative mitomycin C application; or C = pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft. @*Results@#We included 111 patients a total of 120 eyes randomized to 3 groups (A, B, C) at 40 eyes per group. After 24 months of follow-up, there was no significant difference in the recurrence rates among the groups (6/40 [15%] in groups A and B and 2/40 cases [5%] in group C; P=0.29). No complications were noted in groups B and C, while 1 case of scleral thinning was noted in group A. There was no significant difference in the complication rates among the three procedures (P=1.00).@*Conclusion@#There were no significant differences in the recurrence and complication rates among the three techniques. Careful patient selection and follow-up are recommended to prevent complications such as scleral thinning.