Amniotic Membrane Transplantation with Narrow-Strip Conjunctival Autograft vs Conjunctival Autograft for Recurrent Pterygia

[Transplantation of the Bowman's layer in combined treatment of recurrent pterygium]

Pterygium is among the most frequent indications for extraocular ophthalmic surgery. The main method of pterygium treatment - its excision - is often combined with transplantation, non-transplantation, medication and other methods. However, the frequency of pterygium recurrence can exceed 35%, and the cosmetic and refraction outcomes satisfy neither the patient, nor the surgeon.

PURPOSE

The study analyses the technical capability and feasibility for transplantation of the Bowman's layer in the treatment of recurrent pterygium.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The transplantation of the Bowmen's layer was performed according to the developed technique on 7 eyes with recurrent pterygium (7 patients aged 34 to 63 years). The combined surgery technique consisted of pterygium resection, laser ablation, autoconjunctival plasty, exposure to a cytostatic drug, non-suture transplantation of the Bowman's layer. Maximum length of the follow-up was 36 months. Analysis involved data from refractometry, visometry (without correction and with spectacle correction), and optical coherence tomography of the retina.

RESULTS

There were no complications in any of the studied cases. The cornea and the transplant retained transparency throughout the entire follow-up duration. 36 months after surgery mean spectacle-corrected visual acuity amounted to 0.86±0.2, topographic astigmatism - 1.48±1.4 diopters. Recurrence of pterygium was not observed. All patients were satisfied with the cosmetic outcomes of the treatment.

CONCLUSION

Non-suture transplantation of the Bowmen's layer recovers normal anatomy, physiology and transparency of the cornea after repeat surgical intervention for pterygium. No pterygium recurrences were observed throughout the entire follow-up after treatment with the proposed combined technique.

Outcomes of Ipsilateral Simple Limbal Epithelial Transplantation, Tenonectomy, Mitomycin and Amniotic Membrane Transplantation for Treatment of Recurrent Pterygium

PURPOSE

To report on the outcomes of recurrent pterygium treated by ipsilateral simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET), mitomycin, tenonectomy, and amniotic membrane transplantation.

METHODS

A retrospective, interventional study was conducted including all patients with recurrent pterygium who underwent SLET surgery under a single surgeon using ipsilateral donor tissue with a minimum 6-month follow-up at Toronto Western Hospital, Canada. Outcome measures included the following: recurrence rates, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Ten eyes of 10 patients, aged 60.7 ± 18.5 years (range 23-79) with a mean follow-up time of 15.2 ± 10.0 months of which 50% (n = 5) were men, were included. Eight eyes (80%) had a history of 2 or less pterygium operations. Two patients had 3 and 5 previous pterygium operations, respectively. Concurrent limbal stem cell disease was noted in 6 eyes (60%). Average number of pterygium recurrences per eye was 1.9 ± 1.3 (range 1-5). Mean pre-op best-corrected visual acuity was 0.5 LogMAR (Snellen equivalent 20/60, range 20/20 to counting fingers). Best-corrected visual acuity remained the same or improved in 6 eyes (60%). Recurrence was noted in 1 eye (10%) with a history of 5 previous pterygium excisions and remained stable at the last follow-up. No patients required a second operation.

CONCLUSIONS

Ipsilateral SLET with mitomycin, tenonectomy, and amniotic membrane transplantation is a novel technique to address recurrent pterygium. Concurrent limbal stem cell diseases are often present. Initial results demonstrate low recurrence. Visual improvement is modest. Stabilization of the ocular surface to improve vision is possible.

The Effect of a Novel Strategy in Treating Primary Pterygium: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study

OBJECTIVE

We sought to compare the efficacy and safety of conjunctival autograft (CAG), amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) with postoperative interferon alfa-2b (IFN alfa-2b), and modified conjunctival autograft plus amniotic membrane transplantation (mCAG plus AMT) with postoperative IFN alfa-2b for primary pterygium.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled clinical trial.

METHODS

Eyes with nasal and primary pterygia were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive CAG, AMT with IFN alfa-2b, or mCAG plus AMT with IFN alfa-2b. Subjects were followed up for 12 months. Primary outcomes included recurrence rate and complications. Secondary outcomes included corneal epithelium status, ocular surface symptom score, and visual acuity change.

RESULTS

Eighty-five subjects (30 in the CAG group, 25 in the AMT group, and 30 in the CAG+AMT group) completed the 12-month follow-up. No complication or grade 4 recurrence was found. There was no significant difference among the 3 groups in recurrence grade, corneal epithelium status, and visual acuity change. Compared with mCAG+AMT, CAG has a negative effect (β = -0.62, P = .001), and AMT has a negative effect (β = -2.02, P < .001) on postoperative symptom scores. Compared with AMT, CAG has a positive effect (β = 1.28, P < .001) on postoperative symptom scores.

CONCLUSIONS

All 3 strategies had good safety and clinical efficacy in the study. Compared with conjunctival autograft, the 2 surgeries using no autograft or limited autograft was less traumatic and gave more flexibility for future ocular surface condition changes.

Recurrent pterygium: A review

Purpose:

To summarize the recent evidence regarding different aspects of pterygium recurrence.

Methods:

Human-based studies from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were identified using the following keywords: conjunctival disease, pterygium, recurrent pterygium, pterygium recurrence, pterygium management/surgery, conjunctival autograft (CAU), amniotic membrane graft/transplant, and adjuvant therapy (January 2009 to February 2021). We reviewed risk factors associated with the recurrence of pterygium, timing of recurrence, medical treatments to prevent from recurrence, and nonsurgical and surgical alternatives for management of recurrence.

Results:

Dry eye disease, black race, and young age are considered definite risk factors for recurrence. However, fleshy appearance of the pterygium and preoperative size remain controversial. Surgical techniques such as excessive suturing, insufficient conjunctival graft size, thick conjunctival graft with remained Tenon tissue, and postoperative graft retraction are considered possible risk factors for recurrence. Using fibrin glue instead of sutures can further reduce recurrence rates. Although recurrence could occur even after many years, most recurrences happen in the first 3–6 months after surgery. Multiple kinds of adjuvant medications are used before, during, or after the operation including mitomycin C (MMC), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), corticosteroids, and anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGFs). Multiple weekly subconjunctival 5-FU injections are shown to be safe and effective in halting the progression of recurrent pterygium. Although topical bevacizumab is found to inhibit the growth of impending recurrent pterygium, the effect is mostly temporary. CAU is superior to amniotic membrane transplantation in the treatment for recurrent pterygia.

Conclusions:

There is yet to be a panacea in treating recurrent pterygium. Currently, there is not a globally accepted recommendation for treating recurrent pterygium with anti-VEGFs or 5-FU as a nonsurgical treatment. We strongly recommend using MMC as an adjunct to surgery in recurrent cases, with consideration of its specific complications. CAU is the most effective surgical treatment for recurrent pterygium, and other new surgical therapies need further investigation.

Pterygium Surgery with Conjunctival Autograft Fixation Using Bipolar Electrocauterization

PURPOSE

To report a case series of pterygium surgery with conjunctival autograft fixation using bipolar electrocautery.

DESIGN

A noncomparative, retrospective, interventional case series of pterygium surgery with follow-up longer than 12 months to assess recurrence and other complication rates.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifty-six eyes of 37 patients were treated between April 2011 and January 2018, either for primary (n = 53 cases) or recurrent (n = 3 cases) pterygia.

INTERVENTION

After pterygium excision, free conjunctival grafts from the inferior bulbar conjunctiva of the same eye were harvested and fixated with the use of bipolar electrocautery.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Recurrence of the pterygium and complications.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 41 months (range 12 to 81 months). There were no intraoperative complications. Recurrence of the lesion was seen in three eyes (5.36%). There were no other postoperative complications such as graft detachment, or formation of dellen or granulomas.

CONCLUSION

Conjunctival autograft fixation using bipolar electrocautery seems to be a fast, costly and safe procedure that can be applied in most cases of pterygium surgery.

Effects of excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy in limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation for recurrent pterygium: a retrospective case control study

BACKGROUND

Repeated surgery excisions could induce obvious irregular astigmatism in patients with recurrent pterygium. Our study is aimed to illustrate the effect of adjunct excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) in limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation on visual quality for patients with recurrent pterygium.

METHODS

Retrospective case-control study. Eyes that underwent pterygium excision with (PTK group) or without (control group) PTK from 2006 to 2017 were retrospectively included. Recurrence rate, preoperative and postoperative surface regularity index (SRI), surface asymmetry index (SAI), cylinder and LogMAR vision were collected. Postoperative anterior segment optical coherence topography and in vivo confocal microscopy were performed to monitor the cornea epithelium healing and cellular recovery process respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 99 eyes of 99 patients were collected, of which 39 were treated with PTK and 60 without PTK. The mean follow-up time was 50.4 ± 38.1 months. The recurrence rate was 10.3% (4 eyes) in the PTK group and 13.3% (8 eyes) in the control group (p = 0.759). The SRI decreased 0.53 (range: - 0.88, 2.81), SAI decreased 0.53 (range: - 0.64, 2.94), and the cylinder decreased 2.08 (range:-0.16, 9.40) D in the PTK group, and the corresponding values were 0.48 (range:-0.45, 2.27), 0.27 (range:-1.06, 2.21) and 0.71 (range:-1.75, 3.55) D in the control group, respectively (Z = 1.76, 2.15, and 3.97, p = 0.005, 0.016, and 0.000 respectively). LogMAR vision improved in both groups after surgery, with an improvement of 0.18 (range: 0.00, 0.70) in the PTK group and 0.06 (range: - 0.12, 0.50) in the control group (Z = 4.08, p = 0.000). Besides, the eyes treated with PTK showed faster re-epithelization and better cellular recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

For recurrent pterygium, surgical excision with adjunct PTK might be a better option with improved corneal surface and vision outcomes.