Surgical result of pterygium extended removal followed by fibrin glue-assisted amniotic membrane transplantation

• Main Authors: Hsin-Yu Liu, Yuh-Fang Chen, Ta-Ching Chen, Po-Ting Yeh, Fung-Rong Hu, Wei-Li Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2017-01-01
• Series: Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
• Subjects: amniotic membrane transplantation; caruncle; fibrin glue; pterygium; recurrence
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929664615003514

To report the recurrence rate and cosmetic results of conjunctival wound edge and caruncle, and complications after pterygium extended removal followed by fibrin glue-assisted amniotic membrane transplantation. Methods: A prospective interventional cohort study enrolled 57 (58 eyes) patients undergoing pterygium extended removal followed by fibrin glue-assisted amniotic membrane transplantation. All patients received postoperative follow-up for at least 12 months. Recurrence rate was graded from 1 to 4, and cosmetic results of conjunctival edge and caruncle were graded from 1 to 5. Results: The cohort included 48 eyes with nasal pterygium, 5 eyes with temporal pterygium, and 5 eyes with double pterygium. There were 81.0% (n=47), 0% (n=0), 12% (n=7), and 7% (n=4) of eyes with Grades 1–4 recurrence, respectively. The cosmetic results of conjunctival wound edge and caruncle in cases with nasal pterygium showed 59.3% (n=32), 14.8% (n=8), 9.3% (n=5), 16.6% (n=9), and 0% (n=0) of eyes with Grades 1–5 morphology, respectively. Overall, 5.1% (n=3), 3.4% (n=2), 3.4% (n=2), 3.4% (n=2), 1.7% (n=1), 6.9% (n=4), and 1.7% (n=1) of patients suffered from postoperative pyogenic granuloma, transient diplopia, permanent motility restriction, steroid glaucoma, fat prolapse, subamniotic membrane hemorrhage, and early detachment of amniotic membrane, respectively. Conclusion: Pterygium extended removal followed by fibrin glue-assisted amniotic membrane transplantation results in low recurrence, satisfactory cosmetic results and a low incidence of additional complications.