Online ISSN: 2515-8260

Comparative Study of Pterygium Excision with Conjunctival Autograft Using Autologous Blood and Sutures in a teaching hospital

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1. Dr GnanaJyothi C Bada,2. Dr Shradda Mallik,3. Dr Ravindragoud Patil,4. Dr Satish S Patil

Abstract

Pterygium, a word derived from Greek “pterygos” meaning wing. Pterygium is defined as a degenerative ocular surface disorder with wing-shaped fibrovascular growth of the conjunctival tissue encroaching on the cornea. [1] Pterygium is a disease of tropical areas and it has worldwide prevalence. The incidence is high in geographic areas with high ultraviolet radiation, hot, dry, windy, dusty and smoky environments. The prevalence rate of primary pterygium varies between 0.3% – 29% in various populations around the world. [2] Surgical removal of ptergium is the treatment of choice. Earlier, the surgical management of pterygium was, simple excision of pterygium with bare sclera technique i.e. leaving a wide area of bare sclera. However, recurrence of the pterygium was unacceptably high, in as many as 89% of cases. To improve surgical results, two strategies have been adopted: the destructive approach, which enhances the effect of excision of pterygium by radiation (betairradiation) and chemotherapy (mitomycin C, thiotepa, 5 -fluorouracil) and the reconstructive approach, namely transplantation of various tissue grafts (conjunctival autograft, amniotic membrane transplantation, mucous membrane graft, conjunctival limbal transplantation). Recurrences after conjunctival autograft vary from 0% to 39%. [3]In 1985, Kenyon et al. proposed that to prevent recurrence, a conjunctival autograft of the bare sclera could be used in primary and recurrent pterygium. [4]Since then, pterygium excision with conjunctivaautografting has become the standard in the management of both primary and recurrent pterygium. It gives good results with respect to recurrence, complication rates and cosmesis. [1].The surgical methods to fix the conjunctival autograft to the sclera after excision of pterygium are using sutures or fibrin glue. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Fixing the graft with sutures has disadvantages like increased operating time, postoperative discomfort, inflammation, buttonholes, giant papillary conjunctivitis, scarring, and granuloma formation. [5] Fibrin glue which is used nowadays to fix the conjunctival autograft has many advantages like easy fixation of the graft, shorter surgical time, reduction in complications and postoperative discomfort. The disadvantages are high cost, the risk of transmission of infections and its non-availability to all the surgeons. Fixing the conjunctival autograft with autologous blood is a new technique which is also known as suture-and glue-free autologous graft fixation. Autologous blood is natural, has no extra cost or associated risks, and can overcome the postoperative irritations to a great extent. [1] In our present study we compared 2 groups of patients one using sutures and the other group using autologous blood for fixation of graft as it had many advantages and no major disadvantages

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