Background: A pterygium is a fibrovascular overgrowth of degenerative bulbar conjunctival tissue that grows over the limbus onto the cornea. Although various approaches have been proposed for the treatment of pterygium, the common problem after these treatments is recurrence.
Objectives: The goals of this study were to compare the efficacy of mitomycin C (MMC) and limbal-conjunctival autograft (LCAU) in preventing recurrence of primary pterygia and to monitor long-term adverse effects (AEs).
Methods: Patients undergoing pterygium surgery between February 2006 and May 2007 were assessed prospectively and randomly divided into 2 groups using a random number table. The MMC group underwent pterygium excision and received 0.02% MMC intraoperatively for 2 minutes. The LCAU group underwent pterygium excision and LCAU. Recurrence and AE rates of the 2 treatments were compared during the 1-year follow-up period. Assessors for pterygial recurrence were masked to treatment group.
Results: One hundred thirteen eyes (57 patients in the MMC group and 56 patients in the LCAU group) were included in the study. Thirteen of the patients (7 in the MMC group and 6 in the LCAU group) were withdrawn due to irregular attendance at follow-up visits or lack of sufficient dose and duration for postoperative topical antibiotic and steroid administration; their data were excluded from analysis. Fifty patients (MMC group: 26 men, 24 women; mean [SD] age, 48.0 [12.3] years; age range, 30–73 years; LCAU group: 27 men, 23 women; mean age, 49.0 [12.6] years; age range, 28–71 years) in each group completed the study. The mean (SD) length of the pterygium across the limbus was similar in the MMC group and the LCAU group (4.18 [1.27] vs 4.07 [1.24] mm). The mean follow-up period was also similar in the 2 groups (16.0 [1.9] vs 15.0 [1.7] months). The rate of recurrence was significantly greater in the MMC group than in the LCAU group (10 [20.0%] vs 2 [4.0%] patients; P=0.035). Seven patients (14.0%) in the MMC group experienced AEs: conjunctival cyst (3 patients), symblepharon (2), conjunctival granuloma (1), and dellen (1). In the LCAU group, 1 patient (2.0%; P=0.032 vs MMC group) experienced permanent graft edema. All patients in the LCAU group experienced transient graft edema, with recovery occurring in 3 to 4 weeks. There were no intraoperative complications and there was no graft rejection.
Conclusions: Recurrence and postoperative AEs were less frequently observed in primary excision with LCAU than with MMC in these Turkish patients who completed the study. This study found that pterygium excision with LCAU was well tolerated and effective in these patients.
