Abstract:
Background and objectives: Primary pterygium is one of the most common disorders
seen in our community because the inhabitants have a high exposure to ultraviolet light.
India, a tropical country where heat and dust are an environmental synonym, is an ideal
home for pterygium.
But recurrence after excision of pterygium is a common problem and various
techniques have been used to reduce its recurrence rates. This study was undertaken to
compare the outcome and recurrence rate after excision with bare sclera with 0.02%
intraoperative mitomycin C application and conjunctival limbal autograft.
Methods:
A prospective study was done which included 45 patients who attended the
ophthalmology out patient department of Shri. B.M.Patil Medical College, Hospital and
Research Centre during the study period. Patients were selected alternatively and
numbered. Patients with even numbers underwent pterygium excision with 0.02% intra
operative mitomycin- C application and patients with odd numbers underwent excision
with conjunctival limbal autograft. The surgeries were done in Shri. B. M. Patil Medical
College, hospital and research centre. All patients were followed up on post operative day
1, day 7, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months for recurrence and possible side effects of
mitomycin C and graft complications.
Results:
In the patients treated with bare sclera excision with intraoperative 0.02%
mitomycin C, 1 case ( 4.5%) had recurrence, in the patients treated with conjunctival
ix
limbal autograft 1 case (4.3% ) had recurrence and 1 patient had sclera thinning
following intraoperative 0.02% mitomycin- C.
Conclusion:
To reduce the recurrence rate after pterygium excision both the procedures
intraoperative mitomycin- C and the conjunctival limbal autograft are eqaully effective
methods than bare sclera technique alone.
Although both intraoperative mitomycin- C and conjunctival limbal autograft
techniques are equally effective the latter is more safe and cost effective because of
lesser complications
