[Incidence of recurrence after primary pterygium excision, phototherapeutic keratectomy with the ArF:Excimer laser and local mitomycin C administration].

BACKGROUND

In this clinical trial the recurrence-rate after primary pterygium-excision, phototherapeutic keratectomy with the ArF:excimerlaser and local application of mitomycin C should be estimated.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Forty eyes of 38 patients underwent primary pterygium-excision using a bare-sclera technique. All patients underwent phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) with the ArF:excimerlaser of the wound region. Postoperative all patients were treated with mitomycin C 0.02% twice daily for four days and for 4-6 weeks with a combination of gentamycin and dexametason eye drops triple a day. Minimum follow-up was 24 month (median 41 month).

RESULTS

Two eyes developed a recurrence after 12 and 28 month respectively. The overall recurrence rate was 5% (corneal recurrence 2.5%). One patient developed a minute granuloma in the area of the excision. There were no other complications during the follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The excision of pterygium using the bare-sclera technique, phototherapeutic keratektomy und local application of mitomycin C 0.02% eye drops is a safe method with a low recurrence-rate. All recurrences occured after more than one year postoperatively.