Effects of injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) on pterygium surgery with conjunctival autograft.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of subconjunctival injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) injection on healing and complication rates after pterygium surgery with conjunctival autograft. METHODS: This retrospective and comparative study evaluated 31 eyes that received i-PRF injections under the donor and graft conjunctiva following pterygium surgery, while 34 eyes did not receive i-PRF after the pterygium surgery. The patients' follow-up period was for 12 months. Postoperative recurrence, epithelial healing time, postoperative pain score, graft edema, and sliding of the graft (need for re-suturation) data were evaluated. RESULTS: For the 12 months after surgery, one eye (3.2%) in the i-PRF group had developed corneal recurrence, and five eyes (14.7%) in the non-i-PRF group had developed recurrence. The mean corneal epithelial healing time was 2.96 ± 0.70 days in the i-PRF group and 3.58 ± 0.70 days in the non-i-PRF group (p = 0.001). The mean healing time of the donor conjunctiva epithelium was 3.84 ± 0.70 days in the i-PRF group, whereas it was 4.44 ± 0.74 days in the non-i-PRF group (p = 0.006). The mean postoperative pain score was 4.45 ± 1.52 in the i-PRF group and 5.08 ± 1.40 in the non-i-PRF group. In the non-i-PRF group, three cases (8.8%) required re-suturation, whereas, in the i-PRF group, no one required re-suturation. CONCLUSIONS: Thanks to its platelets-derived growth factors, i-PRF can be a safe and effective adjuvant therapy for faster healing of conjunctival autograft and in the prevention of recurrence.

Pterygium surgery using inferior rotational conjunctival autograft versus conventional conjunctival autograft with sutures - A comparative study.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of pterygium surgery by using an inferior rotational autograft and a conventional superior conjunctival autograft. METHODS: This was a prospective interventional comparative study of 85 eyes of patients who were divided into two groups of 45 and 40. Standard techniques of both procedures were performed by a single surgeon. Astigmatism, recurrence rates, time taken, and other complications were compared. RESULTS: All the subjects were in the age group 53 ± 7.56 (40-74) years. Demographic data and type of pterygium were comparable in the two groups. In the rotational group, the preoperative astigmatism was - 2.14 ± 1.36 D, which decreased in 1 week to 1.42 ± 1.11 D, in 1 month to - 1.13 ± 0.99 D, in 3 months to 0.91 ± 0.72 D, and in 6 months to 0.81 ± 0.85 D (P < 0.05 each). Preoperative astigmatism in the conventional group was - 2.63 ± 1.47 D, which decreased to - 1.43 ± 1.04 D in 1 week, -1.18 ± 0.85 D in 1 month, -1.07 ± 0.81 D in 3 months, and - 1.01 ± 0.78 D in 6 months (P < 0.05 each). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of astigmatism at any follow-up visit (P < 0.05). Complications like dellen, graft edema, and superficial vascularization were seen in both groups. The rotational group had one recurrence (2.86%). No recurrence was noted in the conventional group. None of the complication rates was significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Inferior rotational conjunctival autografting is a good technique for management of pterygium. It has a profile similar to that of conventional conjunctival autograft.

Comparison of mini-simple limbal epithelial transplantation and conjunctival-limbal autograft for the treatment of primary pterygium: a randomised controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this double-masked, parallel randomised controlled trial was to compare the recurrence rate and other outcomes between conjunctival-limbal autograft (CLAu) and mini-simple limbal epithelial transplantation (mini-SLET) after excision of pterygium. METHODS: Eligibility criteria for participants was the presence of a primary nasal pterygium extending equally to or greater than two millimetres on the cornea on its horizontal axis from the nasal limbus. The participants were allocated into two groups (CLAu and mini-SLET) using simple randomisation with a table of random numbers. Participants and the outcome assessor were masked to the intervention. The study protocol is listed and available on https://clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03363282). RESULTS: A total of 61 eyes were enrolled in the study, 33 underwent CLAu (group 1) and 28 mini-SLET (group 2), all eyes were analysed in each group. At 2, 3, 6 and 12 months the CLAu group exhibited a recurrence of 0%, 6.1%, 8.1% and 8.1%, while the mini-SLET exhibited a recurrence of 0%, 17.9%, 50% and 53.5% (p<0.05). There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications in either of the two groups. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that mini-SLET has a higher recurrence rate and provides no advantage over CLAu in the treatment of primary pterygium.

[Pterygium surgery with sutureless, glueless conjunctival graft: Preliminary study at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Cocody in Abidjan]. / Chirurgie du ptérygion par greffe conjonctivale sans suture ni colle biologique : étude préliminaire au centre hospitalier universitaire de Cocody à Abidjan.

PURPOSE: To optimize the pterygium management by delineating the role of sutureless, glueless conjunctival graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study carried out at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Cocody between October 1st, 2021 and March 31st, 2022. It analyzed a series of 36 cases of stage I, II and III pterygium by Cornand's classification, who underwent surgery by a sutureless conjunctival graft technique without biological glue. RESULTS: Demographically, 33.3% of our study population were between 30 and 40 years of age, with a mean of 47.86 years. The patients showed a female preponderance, 53%, with a male:female ratio of 0.89. At the clinical level, 75% of our population presented for ocular redness, 84% had a nasal pterygium, and 75% were stage 2. In terms of postoperative course and appearance, we observed 80.55% graft stability, 5.56% graft retraction, 2.78% graft displacement, and 11.11% graft loss. At the conclusion of follow-up, we noted an 8.33% recurrence rate. DISCUSSION: The use of intraoperative blood ensures patient safety and postoperative comfort. This technique demonstrates satisfactory results with primary, nasal pterygia. CONCLUSION: Conjunctival autograft without sutures or biological glue might be a very promising surgical alternative in the surgical treatment of pterygium.

Modified Limbal-Conjunctival Autograft Surgical Technique: Long-Term Results of Recurrence and Complications.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to report the recurrence and complication rates of a modified limbal-conjunctival autograft surgical technique for pterygium excision. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-surgeon, single-operating environment, consecutive case series of 176 eyes in 163 patients with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of pterygium. All patients underwent excision using a 23-gauge needle to "behead" the pterygium head, followed by a limbal-conjunctival autograft including ∼50% of the palisades of Vogt. Outcomes measured included recurrence, defined as any conjunctival fibrovascular growth, and complication rates. Correlations between preoperative patient characteristics, pterygium morphology, and intraoperative factors (width of corneal extension, conjunctival defect, and graft) with postoperative recurrence were examined using logistic regression models. RESULTS: The median age was 59.5 years and 122 eyes (69.3%) had primary pterygium (type I: 17%, II: 37.5%, and III: 45.5%). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated the median pterygium-free follow-up period to be 723 days (range 46-7230 days). Recurrence was observed in 3 eyes of 2 patients (1.7%). No postoperative graft-related complications were observed. Postoperative symptomatology was transient. Age demonstrated a negative correlation with recurrence (odds ratio 0.888, 95% CI, 0.789-0.998, P = 0.046). However, no other correlations with preoperative or intraoperative factors, including whether pterygium was primary or recurrent, were identified (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This modified limbal-conjunctival autograft technique represents an effective alternative that offers a very low recurrence rate and avoids extensive dissection or antimetabolites, with minimal complications and transient postoperative symptomatology, over a long-term follow-up period. This technique is relatively simple and successful for both primary and recurrent pterygia. Future comparative studies with other surgical techniques may determine which are superior.

The Change in Corneal and Conjunctival Sensation Following Pterygium Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The cornea is one of the most densely innervated in the body. Pterygium surgery includes removal of the pterygium tissue from the cornea and conjunctiva followed by autologous conjunctival grafting. OBJECTIVES: To examine the change in corneal and conjunctival sensation post-pterygium surgery. METHODS: This prospective study included patients with primary pterygium. We collected and analyzed demographic data, visual acuity (VA), refraction, quantified sensation, and corneal tomography. Comparison in sensation in the cornea, conjunctiva, and conjunctival autograft was recorded the day of surgery and at least 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Nine patients participated in the study. Mean follow-up time was 9 months (9  3.3, 6-12.4). No complications were documented during or following surgery and no recurrences were found. Statistically significant increases in corneal sensation in the nasal corneal and in the nasal conjunctival areas were noted by the end of follow-up compared to before surgery (P = 0.05, paired samples t-test). There was a significant correlation between the increase in nasal corneal and conjunctival sensation with improved Schirmer testing outcomes and tear break-up time after surgery (P = 0.05, P = 0.01, Pearson correlation). There was a positive correlation between the changes in nasal corneal sensation after surgery and improved changes in VA (P = 0.02, Pearson correlation). CONCLUSIONS: We found improvement in sensation 9 months after pterygium surgery, which may be due to reinnervation of the cornea and conjunctival autograft from the neighboring non-injured nerve fibers. Larger studies with confocal microscopy should be conducted for further analysis.

Conjunctival Autografts for Ocular Surface Reconstruction after Conjunctival Nevus Excision.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and therapeutic outcomes of the cases where we used conjunctival autografts with and without the Tenon fascia for ocular surface reconstruction after conjunctival nevus excision. METHODS: This study included 63 eyes of 63 patients who underwent conjunctival nevus excision between January 2013 and December 2020. Although a Tenon-free conjunctival autograft was used in 32 eyes of 32 patients in group 1, a Tenon-containing conjunctival autograft was used in 31 eyes of 31 patients in group 2. The clinical and histopathological characteristics of the nevus, complete graft epithelization, cosmetic outcomes, and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Conjunctival autografts were harvested from the contralateral eye in 3 eyes (9.3%) in group 1 and 2 eyes (6.4%) in group 2 ( P = 0.66). Postoperatively, the mean defect size at the harvest site was 5.3 ± 1.4 mm in group 1 and 5.5 ± 1.5 mm in group 2 ( P = 0.47). Graft edema was observed in only 1 case (3.1%) in group 1 and 6 cases (19.3%) in group 2 ( P = 0.04). Although a complete graft epithelization was observed in all eyes in group 1, fluorescein staining was present in 2 eyes (6.4%) in group 2 ( P = 0.14). Cosmetically, retracting and shrinking grafts were absent in group 1, whereas group 2 had in 4 eyes (12.9%) ( P = 0.03). Neither group had conjunctival scarring, symblepharon, eyelid cicatrization, dysmotility, or pannus at the donor site. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular surface reconstruction with a Tenon-free conjunctival autograft after conjunctival nevus excision provides excellent cosmetic and functional results without significant complications.

Pterygium surgery with lyophilized versus cryopreserved amniotic membrane graft.

PURPOSE: To evaluate surgical outcomes (recurrence rate, aesthetics and symptoms) of pterygium surgery with two different amniotic membrane preservation approaches - lyophilized (LAM) and cryopreserved (CAM). METHODS: Primary pterygium patients were randomized to either LAM or CAM surgery. Demographic data, ocular surface disease index (OSDI), aesthetic grading (1 to 4), recurrences and complications were recorded over a 6-month follow-up period. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were recruited. Recurrence at month 6 was detected in 11 cases (37.9%) and was more prevalent with CAM grafts, without reaching statistical significance (P=0.196). Aesthetic outcome grading showed no differences between LAM and CAM at month 6 (P=0.124). Aesthetic results were mostly unsatisfactory (grade 3 and 4) without statistical differences between groups (P=0.514). Baseline OSDI was similar in both groups (P=0.888), and it significantly decreased by the last follow-up visit (P<0.001) for both the LAM and CAM groups. This decrease did not significantly differ between amniotic membrane preservation approach surgery groups (P=0.714). CONCLUSION: LAM might be considered a legitimate alternative to CAM, showing no inferiority in outcomes, since clinical and aesthetic outcomes were similar for both groups.

Comparison of surgical techniques for recurrent pterygium.

OBJECTIVE: Although conjunctival autograft (CAU) and amniotic membrane grafting (AMG) with mitomycin-C (MMC) are most effective for the treatment of primary pterygium, the optimal surgical treatment of recurrent pterygium is not well established. We thus aimed to examine recurrence rates after recurrent pterygium excision surgery performed with CAU or AMG with or without MMC. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of adult patients who underwent recurrent pterygium excision surgery at Boston Medical Center between January 1999 and July 2019. Postoperative recurrence rates were compared between surgical treatment groups: CAU + MMC, CAU, AMG + MMC, and AMG. Postoperative and any intraoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: We identified 41 eyes of 38 patients having undergone recurrent pterygium excision surgery that met our criteria. The observed postoperative recurrence rates were 0% (0 of 8 eyes) with CAU + MMC, 17.7% (3 of 17 eyes) with CAU, 45.5% (5 of 11 eyes) with AMG + MMC, and 80.0% (4 of 5 eyes) with AMG. The postoperative recurrence rate was significantly lower with CAU than with AMG, both with (p = 0.045) and without (p = 0.021) adjuvant MMC. There were no statistically significant differences in repeat recurrence rates with or without MMC with CAU (p = 0.52) or with AMG (p = 0.31). There was 1 reported case of possible complication from MMC resulting in complete amniotic membrane melt. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that CAU results in less repeat recurrence than AMG in the treatment of recurrent pterygium. The use of intraoperative MMC may decrease the recurrence rate, but it is not statistically significant and may be associated with complications.

Evaluation of conjunctival graft procedures and factors that lead to graft complications in canine cases.

PURPOSE: To describe the complications of conjunctival graft surgery occurring in cases at a referral ophthalmic service and evaluate factors that lead to occurrence of complications in canine cases. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was completed using data from the Veterinary Medical Center at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada, between May 2015 and March 2020. Case records from dogs that underwent conjunctival pedicle graft surgery and subsequently either did or did not develop a conjunctival graft complication were reviewed. RESULTS: One hundred and six dogs undergoing conjunctival graft surgeries were identified. Sixteen conjunctival graft complications occurred, of which, eight led to negative outcomes. Univariable analysis comparing canine eyes that developed complications to control eyes revealed potential (p ≤ .05) differences between the groups in post-operative fluoroquinolone use, Streptococcus canis isolation, intraoperative intravenous cefazolin use, corneal stromal white cell infiltrate, and mean ulcer diameter. The use of intraoperative cefazolin could not be effectively evaluated with available data; however, no dogs (n = 22) receiving intraoperative cefazolin developed complications. Multivariable analysis revealed that dogs that were treated with a second-generation fluoroquinolone and that had S. canis isolated had higher odds of experiencing complications than dogs that were not treated with a second-generation fluoroquinolone and that were S. canis negative (Odds ratio = 64.7 [95% CI 6.3-669], p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Streptococcus species played a role in conjunctival graft complications in our study. Empiric selection of second-generation fluoroquinolone monotherapy may need reconsideration given the frequent isolation of Streptococcus spp. from canine ulcers. The use of intraoperative cefazolin may be associated with a lower complication rate.

Analysis of the thickness of conjunctival autograft in pterygium surgery with the Moscovici dissection technique compared with manual dissection / Análise da espessura do autoenxerto conjuntival na cirurgia de pterígio com a técnica de dissecção de Moscovici comparada com a dissecção manual

ABSTRACT Objective Compare the thickness of conjunctival autografts in pterygium surgery using the Moscovici dissection technique with manual dissection and assess the difficulty of the techniques. Methods In this randomized clinical trial, 30 eyes of 30 patients undergoing pterygium surgery were divided into the Moscovici Dissection Technique Group and the Manual Dissection Group. The patients were treated at the Hospital Oftalmológico Visão Laser (Santos, São Paulo, Brazil). Optical coherence tomography was performed to measure graft thickness three months postoperatively. Three images were obtained from each eye, and three measurements were taken at a distance of 1.5mm perpendicular to the limbus in each capture. The surgeon graded the difficulty of obtaining the graft with the technique performed from one (lowest difficulty) to four (highest difficulty). Results We found statistically significant difference between the difficulty of the two techniques and the mean conjunctival autograft thickness in the two groups (p=0.01 e p=0.05, respectively). The average difficulty rating for the Moscovici Dissection Technique Group (Air Group) was 1.47, while that for the Manual Dissection Group (MD group) was 2.20. The mean thickness of the three measurements was 252µ in the Air Group and 298µ in the MD Group, with medians of 250µ and 278µ, respectively. Conclusion Our study showed that the Moscovici technique results in thinner grafts and can be performed with greater surgical ease.

RESUMO Objetivo Comparar a espessura de autoenxertos conjuntivais em cirurgia de pterígio utilizando a técnica de dissecção de Moscovici com a de dissecção manual e avaliar a dificuldade das técnicas. Métodos Neste ensaio clínico randomizado, 30 olhos de 30 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia de pterígio foram divididos em um Grupo de Técnica de Dissecção de Moscovici e um Grupo de Dissecção Manual. Os pacientes foram tratados e avaliados no Hospital Oftalmológico Visão Laser (Santos, São Paulo, Brasil). A tomografia de coerência óptica foi realizada para medir a espessura do enxerto 3 meses após a cirurgia. Três imagens foram obtidas de cada olho, e três medidas foram realizadas a uma distância de 1,5mm perpendicular ao limbo em cada captura. O cirurgião classificou a dificuldade de obtenção do enxerto com a técnica realizada de um (menor dificuldade) para quatro (maior dificuldade). Resultados Encontramos diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre a dificuldade das duas técnicas e a espessura média do autoenxerto conjuntival nos dois grupos (p=0,01 e p=0,05, respectivamente). A classificação média de dificuldade para o Grupo de Técnica de Dissecção de Moscovici foi de 1,47, enquanto a do Grupo de Dissecção Manual foi de 2,20. A espessura média das três medidas foi de 252μ no Grupo de Técnica de Dissecção de Moscovici e de 298μ no Grupo de Dissecção Manual, com medianas de 250μ e 278μ, respectivamente. Conclusão Nosso estudo mostrou que a técnica de Moscovici resulta em enxertos mais finos e pode ser realizada com maior facilidade cirúrgica.

Update on overview of pterygium and its surgical management.

Pterygium is a bulbar conjunctival fibrovascular growth that crosses the limbus and extends onto the peripheral cornea, and in some cases leads to significant visual complications. The prevalence of this disease has been reported to be from 1.2% to about 40% in different parts of the world. Although there are various risk factors for pterygium, which include ultraviolet (UV) radiation, viral infection, hereditary factors, immune factors, aseptic inflammation, and environmental irritation, the pathogenesis of pterygium is mainly related to exposure to UV light. In addition to cosmetic problems, pterygium can lead to eye irritation, disrupt the transparency of cornea on the pupil area, and cause disorders such as corneal astigmatism and damage to the visual axis leading to vision impairment. In the last few years, the treatment of pterygium has been developed and various new solutions have been used. Surgery is the main treatment for pterygium. Various techniques such as Bare Sclera, Rotational Conjunctival Flap, Limbal Conjunctival Autograft, Amniotic Membrane Graft, and Free Conjunctival Autograft are used for the removal of pterygium. It also seems that the worrisome problem of recurrence has been significantly reduced with newer treatment methods. On the contrary, the use of auxiliary treatments such as mitomycin C, b-radiation, 5-fluorouracil, topical use of interferons, and Avastin are also effective in reducing the recurrence rate.

Tenon Patch Graft With Vascularized Conjunctival Flap for Management of Corneal Perforation.

PURPOSE: Traumatic paracentral corneal perforations may lead to irregular astigmatism and opacification from lamellar grafts. We present an alternative surgical technique using a Tenon patch graft and a conjunctival flap. METHODS: A 42-year-old man presented with a 1-mm paracentral corneal perforation 6 weeks after penetrating trauma by a metallic foreign body. A region of Tenon fascia was excised and sutured to cover the perforation, and a conjunctival flap was then created and sutured over this Tenon graft. A bandage contact lens was placed postoperatively. Serial imaging was conducted to document healing including optical coherence tomography (OCT) and slit lamp photography. RESULTS: At postoperative day 1, uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) was hand motion, the anterior chamber was formed, and OCT revealed Tenon fascia and conjunctiva covering the defect. By postoperative week 2, the leak resolved and UDVA was 20/30. At postoperative week 4, UDVA improved to 20/20, the Tenon graft was noted to be undergoing contraction, and a single feeder vessel remained prominent in the conjunctival flap. By postoperative month 4, UDVA was 20/25 and only mild paracentral cornea clouding was noted. Initial, focal steepening and thickening normalized by month 4 leaving mild, normal astigmatism. OCT revealed integration of the Tenon graft into the corneal stroma. CONCLUSIONS: For paracentral corneal perforations, a Tenon patch graft in conjunction with a conjunctival flap may aid healing with favorable postoperative refractive outcomes.

Gore-tex a magic sheet for symblepharon prevention!

Background: Symblepharon occurs as chronic sequelae of severe chemical injuries. The risk of recurrence is high due to unpredictable wound healing of conjunctiva and tenons following excision in young patients. Gore-tex aids in prevention of the recurrence of pterygium 1. Purpose: To present a surgical video on role of Gore-tex in grade 4 Symblepharon lysis. Synopsis: A 28-year-old male with a previous history of Grade 4 chemical injury presented with symblepharon and total obliteration of both upper and lower fornices after one year in the right eye. He underwent symblepharon lysis, Living related conjunctival allograft, Amniotic membrane graft and Gore-tex. The video explains the surgical steps in detail. A 360-degree complete peritomy was done, Symblepharon was released from the corneal surface, and the fibrotic tissue was extensively dissected away from the corneal surface and released into the fornix. Further, cryopreserved AMG was placed over the entire raw ocular surface and sutured to the episclera with glue. Prepared Gore-tex was placed on the superior and inferior fornix and sutured with 10-0 nylon suture. Again, AMG was placed over the Gore-tex in the fornices and covered with glue. A small 2x2mm biopsy of limbal stem cells from the superior limbus was already excised from the fellow eye (CLAG) and then Lr-CLAL was prepared from the patient's mother. These two grafts were placed on the nasal and temporal bulbar surface over the AMG and sutured to the underlying AMG and the episclera with glue. The entire surface was then covered with the AMG to promote epithelisation. At one month postoperative period, patient had stable ocular surface with intact Limbal conjunctival graft with mild conjunctival recurrence of fibrosis superiorly. Highlights: The video clearly explains the surgical steps of Symblepharon and the benefits of using Gore-tex. Online Video Link: https://youtu.be/aFfq2x9QBwA.

Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Different Pterygium Surgeries: A Review of the Literature.

The search for the "gold standard" in the surgical treatment of pterygium has been ongoing for over two decades. Despite the development of various surgical techniques, recurrence rates range from 6.7% to 88% depending on the method used. This review discusses the latest and most commonly used methods for the surgical removal of pterygium, primarily focusing on efficacy and safety. Moreover, this review includes articles that either evaluated or compared surgical methods and clinical trials for primary and recurrent pterygium. Limited data are available on combined methods as well as on the efficacy of adjuvant treatment. The use of adjuvant intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC) and conjunctival autografting (CAU) are the two most highly recommended options, as they have the lowest rates of postoperative recurrence.

5-Fluorouracil in primary, impending recurrent and recurrent pterygium: Systematic review of the efficacy and safety of a surgical adjuvant and intralesional antimetabolite.

Pterygium is an ultraviolet-related disease characterized by an aberrant, wing-shaped and active wound-healing process. There is nothing quite as disheartening for the surgeon or patient as the recurrence of pterygium, and various adjuvants have been studied to ameliorate this. This systematic review provides a comprehensive summary of the efficacy and safety of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) as an antimetabolite agent for pterygium management. An appraisal of electronic searches of six databases identified 34 clinical studies reporting recurrence outcomes of 5-FU use in primary, impending recurrent and recurrent pterygia. In vitro and in vivo studies of 5-FU showed dose- and duration-dependent cytostatic and cytotoxic effects in human cells. 5-FU is relatively inexpensive, available, and easy to administer, making it attractive for resource-limited scenarios. However, the published evidence demonstrates a recurrence rate of 11.4-60% with the bare scleral technique, 3.5-35.8% with conjunctival rotational flaps, 3.7-9.6% with conjunctival autografts for intraoperative topical 5-FU, and 14-35.8% for preoperative and intraoperative injections. This suboptimal efficacy brings the role of 5-FU as an adjuvant for pterygium surgery into question and the authors do not recommend its use. In contrast, postoperative intralesional injections of 5-FU to arrest progression in impending recurrent pterygium and true recurrent pterygia were more promising, with success rates of 87.2-100% and 75-100%, respectively. Furthermore, 5-FU as a treatment modality, without surgery, effectively arrested progression in 81.3-96% of primary and recurrent pterygia. Other treatments such as topical and intralesional corticosteroids, cyclosporine and anti-VEGF agents are discussed. Complications of 5-FU increase with higher doses and range from transient and reversible to severe and sight-threatening. For pterygium, 5-FU has a predilection for causing scleral thinning, corneal toxicity, and graft-related complications. Additional study with extended follow-up is needed to elucidate the optimal dose, frequency, duration, and long-term safety of 5-FU injections. If 5-FU is used in the management of pterygium, it should be with caution, in selected patients and with vigilant long-term monitoring.

Repeated use of fibrin sealants kept at room temperature in conjunctival autografting: An animal study.

Purpose: In this study, our aim was to investigate if fibrin adhesives used in conjunctival wound surgery with autologous conjunctival grafts could be used repeatedly at different times after surgical opening. Methods: 40 New Zealand rabbits were used in the study. These animals were divided into four groups, each consisting of 10 rabbits, and hence 20 eyes. In the first group (control group), Tisseel fibrin sealant was used on the day the eye was first opened surgically; in the second group, it was used on the seventh day; on the third group, it was used on the 14th day; and in the fourth group, it was used 28 days after surgical opening. The graft from the inferior bulbar conjunctiva was attached using Tisseel fibrin glue to the superior scleral bed at the location where the superior bulbar conjunctiva was excised in the same eye. Results: No microbial growth was detected in the cultures of the samples tested. There were two partial graft loss in group 2 and there was one partial graft loss in each group of the other groups, and further total graft loss was present in one rabbit in group 3. None of the rabbits had any complications like granuloma, Corneal dellen or infection. Conclusion: Based on these results, fibrin sealants can be used repeatedly by storing them at room temperature. Repeated use of fibrin adhesives will reduce the cost of ophthalmologic surgeries and non-ophthalmologic surgeries.

Autologous simple conjunctival epithelial transplantation for primary pterygium.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of a new method of conjunctival transplantation to achieve recovery of the normal conjunctival epithelium over the bare sclera after pterygium excision and prevent its recurrence. METHODS: After excision of the primary pterygium, we performed simple conjunctival epithelial transplantation (SCET) in which we glued an amniotic membrane patch pre-loaded with tiny autologous conjunctival tissue fragments over the scleral defect. Slit-lamp evaluation was performed at 2 and 7-10 days, and then at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery, together with confocal microscopy at 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Surgical excision and SCET for nasal primary pterygium were performed in 6 eyes (6 patients). No graft detachment occurred. An inflammatory granuloma was excised without sequelae in one patient 2 months after surgery. No signs of recurrence or sight-threatening complications were recorded at 12 months, and in vivo confocal microscopy showed progressive expansion of the conjunctival cell population and formation of a clear corneal-conjunctival transition. CONCLUSIONS: SCET takes advantage of the ability of the amniotic membrane and conjunctival cells to renew. Outcomes after SCET are comparable to conventional conjunctival flap surgery and can be achieved in less surgical time and with less donor tissue to be removed.

Donor graft harvesting with air in pterygium surgery.

PURPOSE: Report a new technique for improvement of pterygium surgery: donor graft harvesting with air. CASE REPORTS: We describe a technique that was used with 138 patients who underwent surgery that included a conjunctival autograft and fibrin glue with air injection to dissect the Tenon capsule from the conjunctiva. RESULTS: No complications occurred with this technique and all patients achieved good results. DISCUSSION: The surgical time with this new technique was similar to that reported in the literature. In addition, the graft thickness was close to that reported with femtosecond laser dissection and it was thinner than that reported with aesthetic/saline dissection (unable to determine statistical significance). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: With the injection of an air bubble, we could easily dissect the conjunctiva from the Tenon capsule and quickly acquire thin grafts without any additional costs or complications.

Sutureless and glue-free limbal-conjunctival autograft in primary and recurrent pterygium: A pilot study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and analyze the outcomes of sutureless and glue-free limbal-conjunctival autografting in cases of primary as well as recurrent pterygium. METHODS: This prospective interventional study was carried out between February 2019 and February 2020 at a tertiary care hospital in North India. A.total of 70 patients with pterygium underwent sutureless and glue-free limbal-conjunctival autograft. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 patients with primary pterygium (n = 45), group 2 patients with recurrent pterygium (n = 25). The patients were followed up till 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients in group 1 and group 2 was 37.04 ± 8.69 years and 32.52 ± 6.49 years, respectively (P = 0.04). Postoperatively, no recurrence was recorded in group 1. Recurrence was noticed in two patients (8%) of group 2. The BCVA changed from 78.73 ± 9.86 letters to 80.15 ± 7.29 letters (P = 0.45) and from 79.6 ± 6.44 letters to 79.8 ± 5.86 letters (P = 0.45) in group 1 and group 2, respectively. Graft edema was found in seven (15.55%) cases of group 1 and four (16%) cases of group 2. Graft retraction was found in two (4.44%) cases of group 1 and three (12%) cases of group 2. CONCLUSION: Sutureless and a glue-free limbal-conjunctival autograft is a safe and effective treatment option for primary as well as recurrent pterygium.