Effect of two different suture methods on the degree of pain and corneal epithelium healing condition in pterygium excision combined with autologous conjunctival flap graft transplantation

• Main Authors: Li-Hui Tao, Feng-Wei Song
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Press of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO PRESS) 2017-10-01
• Series: Guoji Yanke Zazhi
• Subjects: continuous interlocking suture; intermittent suture; visual analogue score; pain; corneal epithelium
• Online Access: http://ies.ijo.cn/cn_publish/2017/10/201710042.pdf
• ISSN: 1672-5123; 1672-5123

AIM: To assess the effect of two different suture methods on the degree of pain and corneal epithelium healing condition after pterygium excision combined with autologous conjunctival flap graft transplantation. <p>METHODS: Retrospective case-series study. According to the suture method, a total of 92 patients(92 eyes)with pterygium who received treatment in the First Affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University from June 2015 to June 2016 were divided into two group. There were 48 patients(48 eyes)in Group A were received intermittent suture, and 44 patients(44 eyes)in Group B were received continuous interlocking suture. The degree of pain after surgery were evaluated between the two groups at 2h, 1d and 1wk after surgery by visual analogue score(VAS). The healing status of corneal epithelium were observed between the two groups at 1d and 1wk after surgery by fluorescent staining. <p>RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the average pain value 2h after surgery between Group A and Group B(<i>P</i>>0.05). The average pain values 1d and 1wk after surgery in Group B was lower than that in Group A respectively(<i>P</i><0.01). Mean scores of corneal epithelium healing condition at 1wk were significantly better in Group B than in Group A(0.54±0.32 <i>vs</i> 0.86±0.34, <i>P</i><0.05), while not significantly different at 1d after the surgery(4.04±1.46 <i>vs</i> 4.30±1.42, <i>P</i>>0.05). <p>CONCLUSION: Compared to intermittent suture, continuous interlocking suture can release pain response after pterygium excision combined with autologous conjunctival flap graft transplantation and promote the healing status of corneal epithelium.