Preoperative Versus Intraoperative Subpterygial Mitomycin C Injection for Prevention of Pterygium Recurrence.

PURPOSE: To evaluate postoperative outcome and recurrence rate after primary pterygium excision using preoperative versus intraoperative subpterygial Mitomycin C (MMC) injection.

METHODS

Eighty-three eyes with primary pterygium were divided into 2 groups. Group A (35 eyes) was operated upon with pterygium excision 5 min after subpterygial injection of 0.1 mL 0.015% MMC in the same operative setting. Group B (48 eyes) was operated upon with pterygium excision 1 month after subpterygial injection of the same amount and concentration of MMC as in group A. Pterygium regrowth over the cornea for 1 mm or more was considered as a recurrence.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 30.66±4.48 months in group A and 29.5±4.3 months in group B. In group A, the reported recurrence rate was 5.7%, while it was 4.2% in group B. No serious postoperative complications were reported. There was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding the recurrence rate as well as the complication rate.

CONCLUSION

Both techniques proved to be effective in reducing the recurrence rate after excision of primary nasal pterygium with minimal postoperative complications, with no need of a second surgery for patients in group A.