Preliminary results of subconjunctival bevacizumab in primary pterygium excision.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of subconjunctival bevacizumab as an adjunctive therapy for primary pterygium surgery.


METHODS
This randomized prospective clinical study was conducted on 30 eyes of 30 patients. After pterygium excision and accomplishing a rotational conjunctival flap, 15 patients (case group) received 1.25 mg (0.1 ml) bevacizumab, and 15 other patients (control group) received 0.1 ml balanced salt solution subconjunctivally. The main outcome measures were recurrence of pterygia, horizontal length of the corneal epithelial defect, conjunctival erythema, lacrimation and photophobia during the first postoperative week.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences regarding age, sex or recurrence risk factors between the two groups (p > 0.05). The pterygia resolved in 13 (86.6%) of 15 eyes in both groups, with a recurrence rate of 13.4% during a mean follow-up period of 8 +/- 1.4 months in the case group and 7.4 +/- 1.5 months in the control group (p = 0.2). There were no statistically significant differences regarding reduction in refractive astigmatism, improvement in visual acuity, corneal epithelial defects, conjunctival erythema, lacrimation or photophobia between the case and control groups (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
A single intraoperative subconjunctival bevacizumab injection had no effect on recurrence rate or early postoperative conjunctival erythema, lacrimation, photophobia or healing of corneal epithelial defects following pterygium excision.
Razeghinejad
Mohammad Reza
MR
Department of Ophthalmology and Poostchi Ophthalmic Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. razeghinejad@gmail.com
Hosseini
Hamid
H
Ahmadi
Farzin
F
Rahat
Feisal
F
Eghbal
Hossein
H
D000328:Adult; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011625:Pterygium / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab