Vascularization is more delayed in amniotic membrane graft than conjunctival autograft after pterygium excision.
OBJECTIVE
To monitor the development of graft vascularization by indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) after pterygium excision with limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation (LCAT) and amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT).


METHODS
Randomized prospective interventional case series.


METHODS
Anterior segment ICGA findings at one, seven, and 30 days after surgery were evaluated in eyes with primary pterygium treated by excision and LCAT (14 eyes of 14 patients) or AMT (13 eyes of 13 patients), and the results for graft vascularization were compared.


RESULTS
All conjunctival autografts showed early vascularization from underlying episcleral vascular bed as multiple hyperfluorescent foci at the graft margin on postoperative day 7; graft vascularization was complete on postoperative day 30. In contrast, all grafts in AMT group showed no graft vascularization at any stage after pterygium surgery. This delay of vascularization with AMT persisted until one month after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Anterior segment ICGA is useful to monitor graft vascularization after pterygium surgery. Graft health after LCAT may be demonstrated by early graft vascularization and perfusion; however, there is a delay in graft vascularization after AMT that may be related to the antiangiogenic effects of the membrane. Further study is needed to demonstrate the relationship between this delay of graft perfusion and early postoperative pterygium recurrence.
Küçükerdönmez
Cem
C
Department of Ophthalmology, Başkent University, School of Medicine, Fevzi Cakmak Bulvari, 10 sokak, Bahcelievler, Cankaya, 06490 Ankara, Turkey. drcemk@hotmail.com
Akova
Yonca A
YA
Altinörs
Dilek Dursun
DD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000650:Amnion / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000637:transplantation; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000473:pathology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011625:Pterygium / Q000601:surgery*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D004396:Coloring Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green