Clinical Results After Application of Bevacizumab in Recurrent Pterygium

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To clinically establish the effectiveness and safety of bevacizumab on recurrent pterygium. METHODS: Twenty patients with recurrent pterygium were given a subconjunctival injection of 0.3 cc bevacizumab, and were evaluated for periodic clinical results at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and every month thereafter. The patients were also evaluated for clinical results and complications. RESULTS: Of recurrent pterygium patients with bevacizumab injection, the conjunctival injection decreased maximally after 1 to 2 weeks, but significantly increased at 4 weeks (above the lowest level measured at 1 to 2 weeks), and no patient presented conjunctival injection above the pre-injection level at 3 months, except in 2 cases. Two weeks after the injection, ICG anterior segment angiography revealed a significant decrease (30.14+17.69%) in vessel thickness of the pterygium 2 weeks after the bevacizumab injection compared to before the injection. There had been no cases of progression of pterygium, and no ocular or systemic complications due to bevacizumab. CONCLUSIONS: As shown above in the results, subconjunctival injection of 0.3 cc bevacizumab decreased the conjunctival injection and effectively suppressed any further progression of pterygium. Thus, bevacizumab subconjunctival injection appears to be effective in recurrent pterygium treatment instead of surgical methods.