Comparison of mini-flap technique and conjunctival autograft transplantation without mitomycin C in primary and recurrent pterygium.

AIMS: Our purpose was to compare postoperative results of pterygium surgery between mini-flap technique and conjunctival autograft transplantation without application of mitomycin C.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, comparative and observational study. Forty-one eyes underwent conjunctival autograft transplantation without mitomycin C between March 1999 and December 2001 and 49 eyes with pterygium received conjunctival mini-flap without mitomycin C by the same surgeon between January 2002 and February 2004. The main outcome measurement was postoperative recurrence.

RESULTS

The recurrence rate in those with primary pterygium was 4.7% (2 of 43) in the mini-flap group and 17.6% (6 of 34) in the conjunctival autograft group. In the patients with recurrent pterygium, recurrence was observed in 1 of 6 cases (16.7%) in the mini-flap group and 1 of 7 cases (14.3%) in the conjunctival autograft group. Overall, the conjunctival mini-flap group without use of mitomycin C had a significantly lower rate of recurrence (6.1%) than the conjunctival autograft transplantation group without mitomycin C (17.1%) (p = 0.042).

CONCLUSION

The mini-flap technique without use of mitomycin C in pterygium surgery is safe and effective in reducing the postoperative recurrence of primary pterygium compared to the conjunctival autograft technique.