[Pterygium surgery: comparative study of conjunctival autograft with suture versus fibrin adhesive].

PURPOSE: To compare recurrence rate, complications, and biomicroscopical findings after conjunctival autograft pterygium surgery with the use of a fibrin glue (Tissucol Duo, Baxter AG, Vienna, Austria) or suture (7-0 silk).

METHODS

Patients with nasal pterygium were included in two groups of conjunctival autograft surgery. In 9 of them the graft was sutured to the surrounding conjunctiva and in 8 of them the graft was fixed to the conjunctiva using fibrin glue.

RESULTS

17 patients (17 eyes) 41.2% women and 58.8% men were surgically treated. Mean patient age was 59.8 years. Five of the patients presented recurrence for simple excision and 12 presented primary pterygium. The extent of corneal invasion was 2 to 4 mm. In the suture group, 33.3% of the patients experienced pain after surgery compared to none in the fibrin glue group. In the suture group, 44.4% of the patients presented inflammation after surgery compared to none in the glue group. One patient from the glue group lost the graft and presented a recurrence one month later.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of fibrin glue in pterygium surgery reduces patient symptoms, inflammation and discomfort. The rate of recurrence seems to be similar in both procedures.