Outcome of double-headed pterygium surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the postoperative outcome and recurrence rate of bare sclera technique combined with intraoperative application of mitomycin C (MMC) 0.02% for 5 minutes in the treatment of primary and recurrent double-head pterygia.


METHODS
A prospective, noncomparative interventional case series of 13 eyes in 13 patients with primary (n = 10) or recurrent double-head pterygia in one eye operated on by one surgeon (R.A.). They all had bare sclera excision combined with intraoperative application of MMC 0.02% for 5 minutes. All patients were followed postoperatively for recurrence of the lesion, aesthetic outcome, and incidence of eye complications.


RESULTS
Mean follow-up was 36.3 +/- 3.8 months for the patients with primary and 28.4 +/- 2.7 months for the patients with recurrent double-head pterygia. There was only one recurrence in one of the three eyes in the group with recurrent pterygia (33.33%). The only significant complication observed was a pyogenic granuloma in two of the recurrent and one of the primary cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The bare sclera technique combined with intraoperative MMC 0.02% for 5 minutes is an effective and safe procedure for double-head pterygia. This method can serve as a useful alternative to amniotic membrane transplantation in countries where the latter is not available and in patients in whom conjunctival autograft is not feasible.
Avisar
Rahamim
R
Department of Ophthalmology and External Eye Disease Clinic, Rabin Medical Center, Golda Campus, Petah Tikva, Israel. lavisar@bezeqint.net
Snir
Moshe
M
Weinberger
Dov
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D017789:Granuloma, Pyogenic / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011625:Pterygium / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012590:Sclera / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D016685:Mitomycin