COMPARISON BETWEEN SUTURED AND SUTURELESS GLUE FREE CONJUNCTIVAL AUTOGRAFT IN PRIMARY PTERYGIUM

Dr. Hosam Osman Mansour

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To compare the outcome of two techniques used in the management of primary pterygium. Methods: A retrospective comparative study from medical records of patients suffering from primary pterygium treated by excision with either sutured or sutureless glue free conjunctival autograft. Results: 39 eyes of 39 patients suffering from cosmetically annoying primary pterygium were reviewed.Patients were classified into two groups. The first group included 18 patients where sutures were used. 11 patients were males, 7 patients were females. The age range was from 24 to 68 years, mean 48.73 + SD. The second group included 21 patients in whome suturless and glue free pterygium surgery was done. 9 patients were males, and 12 patients were females. The age range was from 22 to 76 years, mean 49.19 + SD. In the first group recurrence was observed in 3 patients (16.66%), two cases (11.1%) developed scleral necrosis, and four cases (24.18%) developed granuloma. Operative time ranged from 21 to 26 minutes. In the second group recurrence was observed in one patient (4.76%), no cases of scleral necrosis or granuloma were observed. Operative time ranged from 11to 15 minutes. Conclusion: The technique of sutureless and glue free conjunctival autograft in pterygium surgery is an easy technique that avoids the use of adjuvant materials such as MMC, procedures such as diathermy and foreign materials like sutures with potential adverse effect. One more advantage of the suture less glue free technique is the shorter operative time.

Keywords: Primary pterygium, sutureless, glue, conjunctival autograft.