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Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts in Primary Pterygium Surgery

Authors:
  • Bharatpur Eye Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Surgical excision is the definitive treatment for pterygium. Following excision, conjunctival autograft is usually preferred. Various methods for grafting with sutures, glue or autologous serum from the recipient bed are in use. The objective of this study was to compare surgical outcomes of sutureless glue free conjunctival autograft with sutured (vicryl 8-0) conjunctival autograft in primary pterygium excision. Materials and methods: A prospective randomized interventional study was carried out in 100 eyes with primary pterygium. They were divided into two groups for conjunctival graft adhesion; sutureless glue free (group 1; n=50 eyes) and sutured with absorbable (vicryl 8-0) suture (group 2; n=50 eyes). Time taken for surgery, complications, postoperative symptoms and overall satisfaction score were noted. The patients were followed up on day 1, day 14 and 6 weeks after surgery. Recurrence was noted till 1 year after surgery. Results: The mean age was 46.76 ± 11.97 years (group 1) and 47.24±12.76 years (group 2). Group 1 had shorter duration of surgery (p<0.001), less postoperative complaints (p<0.001) and better patient satisfaction (p<0.001) than group 2. Postoperative complications and gain in visual acuity in both the groups were not clinically significant. Recurrence was not significant in both groups until 1 year of follow up. Conclusion: Pterygium surgery with sutureless glue free conjunctival autograft had fewer postoperative complaints and better patient satisfaction than pterygium surgery with sutured conjunctival autograft. The postoperative complications, recurrence were comparable to conventional sutured technique.
95
Nepalese Journal of Ophthalmology
Bista D et al
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival
Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
Original Article
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival
Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Dikshya Bista1, Raghunandan Byanju2, Maria Alexsandronva Gautam2
1Geta Eye Hospital, Geta, Kailali, Nepal
2Bharatpur Eye Hospital, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Surgical excision is the denitive treatment for pterygium. Following excision, conjunctival
autograft is usually preferred. Various methods for grafting with sutures, glue or autologous serum from
the recipient bed are in use. The objective of this study was to compare surgical outcomes of sutureless
glue free conjunctival autograft with sutured (vicryl 8-0) conjunctival autograft in primary pterygium
excision.
Materials and methods: A prospective randomized interventional study was carried out in 100 eyes with
primary pterygium. They were divided into two groups for conjunctival graft adhesion; sutureless glue
free (group 1; n=50 eyes) and sutured with absorbable (vicryl 8-0) suture (group 2; n=50 eyes). Time
taken for surgery, complications, postoperative symptoms and overall satisfaction score were noted. The
patients were followed up on day 1, day 14 and 6 weeks after surgery. Recurrence was noted till 1 year
after surgery.
Results: The mean age was 46.76 ± 11.97 years (group 1) and 47.24±12.76 years (group 2). Group 1
had shorter duration of surgery (p<0.001), less postoperative complaints (p<0.001) and better patient
satisfaction (p<0.001) than group 2. Postoperative complications and gain in visual acuity in both the
groups were not clinically signicant. Recurrence was not signicant in both groups until 1 year of follow
up.
Conclusion: Pterygium surgery with sutureless glue free conjunctival autograft had fewer postoperative
complaints and better patient satisfaction than pterygium surgery with sutured conjunctival autograft. The
postoperative complications, recurrence were comparable to conventional sutured technique.
Key words: Fibrin glue, Glue-free pterygium surgery, Pterygium, Recurrence, Sutureless glue free
conjunctival autograft.
Financial Interest : Nil Received : 20.09.2020
Conict of Interest : Nil Accepted : 06.03.2021
Corresponding Author
Dr. Dikshya Bista
Geta Eye Hospital,
Geta, Kailali, Nepal.
E-mail: dr.dikshya12@gmail.com
Access this article online
Website: www.nepjol.info/index.php/NEPJOPH
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3126/nepjoph.v13i2.31347
Copyright © 2021 Nepal Ophthalmic Society
ISSN: 2072-6805, E-ISSN: 2091-0320
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0
International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
96 A biannual peer-reviewed academic journal of Nepal Ophthalmic Society
INTRODUCTION
Pterygium is a brovascular proliferation of
subconjunctival tissue towards the cornea
which is more common on the nasal side. It is
thought to be caused by ultraviolet rays, hot
dry climate, dust, wind (Hill and Maske, 1989).
Surgical excision is the treatment of choice for
pterygium.
Simple surgical excision technique leaving bare
sclera is not favored due to high recurrence rates
(Youngson, 1972). Recurrences occur mostly
within a year of surgery (Avisar et al., 2001;
Hirst et al., 1994). Several techniques like beta
irradiation, Mitomycin C, amniotic membrane
transplantation have been tried to reduce the
recurrence rate (Kawasaki et al., 2003; Lam et
al., 1998; Monselise et al., 1984).
Conjunctival autograft with limbal to limbal
orientation reduces the chances of recurrence
as stem cells in the limbus act as a barrier for
conjunctival cells (Salman and Mansour, 2011)
. The autograft could be held at the graft site by
sutures, brin glue or autologous brin from the
graft recipient site.
Sutureless techniques either with brin glue or
autologous brin have shown to be comfortable
postoperatively (Elwan, 2014; Yan et al., 2019;
Yüksel et al., 2010). It is said to have lesser
complications, shorter surgery time and reduced
rate of recurrence (Koranyi et al., 2005, 2004).
The cost of the brin glue has been a limiting
factor for its use (Yüksel et al., 2010). A better
alternative for it would be letting brin at the
recipient bed to hold the graft as in a sutureless
and glue-free technique.
In this study, both techniques were compared
in terms of operative time, complications,
postoperative symptoms, overall satisfaction
and recurrence. Sutureless technique can be
a better alternative if patients have similar
postoperative results with less discomfort.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Hundred eyes of 100 patients were randomised
into two groups; either sutureless and glue
free autograft (group 1; n=50 eyes), or sutured
absorbable (vicryl 8-0) autograft (group 2;
n=50 eyes) technique of autograft adhesion.
All patients underwent surgery under local
anaesthesia by a single surgeon and were
followed up on day 1, day 14, 6 weeks after
surgery. Recurrence was observed until 1 year
after surgery. During follow up, visual acuity,
complaints of patients and any complications
related to surgery were noted.
Peribulbar anesthesia with 2% lignocaine and
0.5% bupivacaine was given preoperatively.
An eyelid speculum was inserted. The body of
the pterygium was excised around 4 mm from
the limbus and it was removed by avulsion.
The head of the pterygium was detached using
a crescent knife. The body was dissected from
the overlying conjunctiva using blunt and sharp
dissection. The subconjunctival pterygium
tissue, the thickened segment of conjunctiva
and adjacent Tenon’s capsule were excised
leaving bare sclera. Size of the bare sclera
was measured with callipers. Conjunctival
autograft was taken from the superior quadrant
after giving subconjunctival injection lidocaine
which facilitates separation of conjunctiva from
Tenon’s capsule. The conjunctiva was dissected,
Bista D et al
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
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Nepalese Journal of Ophthalmology
around 2 mm more than the size measured at the
recipient bed, by Westcott’s scissors. It was then
separated upto the limbus and cut. Forceps was
used to slide the graft towards the recipient bed.
In group 1, a small bleed with autologous serum
from the scleral bed was used to adhere the graft
to the recipient site. Sometimes a small blood
vessel in the scleral bed was punctured for
autologous serum. The conjunctival autologous
graft was kept at the recipient scleral bed and
gently pressed with a spatula; the edges of the
graft were pinched with toothed forceps to the
surrounding conjunctiva. The adhesion of the
graft was ensured by moving the graft slightly.
Then it was padded and bandaged for 18
hours-20 hours till the patient came for follow
up the next day.
In group 2, the conjunctival graft was kept in
place and 8-0 vicryl suture was applied, 1st at
two limbal edges and then sutured as needed
and eye was pad and bandaged till they were
followed up the next day.
Time taken for the surgery and intraoperative
and postoperative complications were noted.
Patients were started on antibiotics-steroid
eye drops on the next day and were tapered
gradually.
The postoperative symptoms were assessed by
a preformed questionnaire including grading
of symptoms for pain, foreign body sensation
and photophobia. It was scored as 0 to 3 (0 =
Nothing; 1 = mild; 2 = moderate; 3 = severe)
and a mean score was given for each symptom
in each group (Elwan, 2014).
The mean score was calculated and the result
was analyzed statistically using one way Anova.
The overall satisfaction score was recorded
at 6 weeks follow up as four grades:
0 = unsatised; 1 = low satisfaction; 2 =
moderate satisfaction; 3 = high satisfaction
(Elwan, 2014). The data was analysed using
Fischer’s exact test.
Recurrences were observed during follow up
and dened as encroachment of bro-vascular
connective tissue across the limbus and onto the
cornea for any distance (Hirst et al., 1994).
Bista D et al
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
Figure 1: Postoperative clinical photograph showing sutureless conjunctival autograft.
98 A biannual peer-reviewed academic journal of Nepal Ophthalmic Society
RESULTS
100 eyes of 100 patients were included in
the study. 50 underwent sutureless glue free
conjunctival autograft and 50 underwent sutured
conjunctival autograft. Nasal pterygium was
present in all cases. There were 55 female and
45 male in the study. 56 pterygia were present
on the right side.
The mean age was 46.76 ± 11.97 years (group
1) and 47.24±12.76 years (group 2) which was
not signicant statistically (p>0.05)
Figure 2 : Clinical photograph showing graft uptake at (from left to right) immediate, 2
weeks and 6 weeks post-surgery.
The time taken for surgery in group 1 was 20.18
± 2.08 minutes and 22.14 ±1.79 minutes in
group 2(p<0.001).
In the sutureless group, postoperatively, 2 (4%)
eyes had graft dehiscence, which was due to
rubbing of the eyes after opening the dressing
on day 1. Autograft was re-sutured in these
cases on the next day. 3(6%) eyes had graft
haemorrhage; these were seen in cases where
vessels were punctured intentionally during
surgery for better adhesion of graft.
Table 1: Demographic prole of study population.
Group 1 (N=50) Group 2 (N=50)
Mean age 46.76 ± 11.97 47.24 ± 12.76
Gender
Male 42%(n=21) 48%(n=24)
Female 58%(n=29) 52%(n=26)
Laterality
Right 58%(n=29) 54%(n=27)
Left 42%(n=21) 46%(n=23)
Bista D et al
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
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At the 2nd week of follow-up, graft oedema
was seen in 4(8%) cases, which resolved later.
4(8%) cases had graft retraction which was due
to oedema. At 6 weeks follow up 1 (2%) eye
had granuloma at the area of exposed Tenon
which was excised.
In the sutured group, there was no graft
dehiscence. On day 1, 3 (6%) eyes had graft
haemorrhage, which was present due to suturing
and trauma to vessels. At week 2, 1 (2%) case
had dellen which was treated with removal of
suture and lubricants. 1(2%) cases had graft
retraction due to oedema which resolved at 6
weeks follow-up. 1 (2%) eye had foreign body
granuloma which was excised.
The postoperative complication in either
group was not statistically signicant. Other
postoperative complications such as scleral
necrosis, graft necrosis or scleral thinning were
not detected.
Table 2: Post-surgical complications.
Complication Group 1 Group 2
Number Percentage Number Percentage
Graft hemorrhage 3 6% 3 6%
Granuloma 1 2% 1 2%
Dellen 0 0% 1 2%
Graft retraction 4 8% 1 2%
Graft dehiscence 2 4% 0 0%
Conjunctival edema 4 8% 1 2%
Graft necrosis 0 0% 0 0%
Scleral necrosis 0 0% 0 0%
Scleral thinning 0 0% 0 0%
Figure 3: Complications: Suture granuloma (right), early subconjunctival hemorrhage in
sutureless group (left).
Bista D et al
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
10 0 A biannual peer-reviewed academic journal of Nepal Ophthalmic Society
Postoperatively, the mean score was noted for
pain, foreign body sensation and photophobia
(Table 3). On day 1, mean score for pain was
1.14, foreign body sensation was 1.16, and
photophobia was 0.64 in group 1. In group 2,
mean score for pain was 1.62, foreign body
sensation was 1.68 and photophobia was 1.22;
(p value <0.001).
At week 2, in group 1, mean pain score was
0.22, foreign body sensation was 0.38 and
photophobia was 0.06. In group 2, mean pain
score was 0.52, foreign body sensation was 0.76
and photophobia was 0.22 (p<0.05).
At week 6, mean pain score was 0 in group 1 and
0.14 in group 2(p<0.05), foreign body sensation
was 0.04 in group 1 and 0.18 in group 2
(p>0.05). None of the patients had photophobia
at 6th week in both the groups.
At 6 weeks, the patient satisfaction score was
statistically signicant for group 1(p<0.001).
Gain in visual acuity in both the groups was not
clinically signicant.
There was no recurrence in either group till 6
weeks of follow up. At 1 year of follow-up, 4
eyes (8%) in-group 1 and 5 eyes (10%) in group
2 had recurrence which was statistically not
signicant between groups.
DISCUSSION
Several surgical techniques from simple
excision leaving bare sclera to conjunctival
limbal autograft are explained for the
management of pterygium. Pterygium
recurrence following primary pterygium
surgery with bare sclera technique is around
six times higher than with conjunctival
Table 3: Mean score for postoperative symptoms.
Postoperative
symptoms
Day 1 Day 14 Day 42
Group 1 Group 2 Group 1 Group 2 Group 1 Group 2
Pain 1.14 1.62 0.22 0.52 0 0.14
Foreign body sensation 1.16 1.68 0.38 0.76 0.04 0.18
Photophobia 0.64 1.22 0.66 0.22 0 0
Table 4: Postoperative satisfaction score.
Group 1 Group 2
Unsatised 0 0
Low satisfaction 6 1
Moderate satisfaction 28 49
High Satisfaction 16 0
Bista D et al
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Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
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autograft placement (Sánchez-Thorin et al.,
1998). Ma et al (2000) explained that the
proliferation of subconjunctival broblasts and
vascular cells was due to surgical trauma and
subsequent postoperative inammation.
The deposited proteins further contribute to
pterygium recurrence. Techniques have been
developed to lower recurrences by using
limbal conjunctival autograft and also by
using adjunctive therapies like Mitomycin C,
beta irradiation, 5-uorouracil (Frucht-Pery
and Ilsar, 1994; Salman and Mansour, 2011).
Limbal auto-grafts can act as a barrier against
conjunctival invasion onto the cornea and also
supply stem cells of the corneal epithelium
(Salman and Mansour, 2011).
In autologous conjunctival graft technique, the
graft can be adhered to the bare sclera by sutures,
brin glue or autologous brin from the scleral
bed. (Gröner, 2008). Sutureless technique either
with brin glue or autologous brin can have
less discomfort than sutured technique when
securing the graft.(Elwan, 2014; Yan et al., 2019;
Yüksel et al., 2010) Fibrin glue which is used
as an alternative to sutures for adhesion of the
autologous graft, decreases postoperative pain
and shorten the surgery time. (Koranyi et al.,
2005). However, cost of the product has always
been a factor limiting its use (Yüksel et al., 2010)
Plasma derived products have been shown to
have viral contaminants mostly hepatitis virus,
Parvovirus B19 and prions despite inactivation.
(Gröner, 2008) This leads to threat of spread of
infection using the brin glue.
Sutureless glue-free technique has fewer
postoperative complaints and no risk of disease
transmission as with brin glue. (Sati et al.,
2014; Sharma et al., 2015).
In this study, demographic proles of cases are
not signicant. The age group included in the
study is comparable to the age group in dierent
studies. (Elwan, 2014; Sharma et al., 2015)
In our study, the mean surgical time for
sutureless technique was 20.18 ± 2.08 minutes
which was less as compared to sutured technique
( 22.14 ±1.79 minutes); (p<0.001). The time
taken for surgery is comparable and even faster
in group 1. This was similar to other studies
where sutureless technique required lesser time
for surgery.(Elwan, 2014; Sati et al., 2014)
Graft dehiscence is a common complication in
sutureless surgery mostly when brin glue is
used. Alireza et al (2011) described the rate of
dehiscence to be 13.3 % when autologous brin
was used to adhere the graft and attributed the
cause to low levels of thrombin and brinogen.
In our study, 2 (4%) eyes in group 1 had graft
dehiscence, which was due to rubbing of eyes.
It presented as an early complication and the
autograft was re-sutured. There was no graft
dehiscence in-group 2. Our study had lesser
dehiscence than a study done by Elwan (2014)
where 8% cases had graft dehiscence in the
sutureless group. Its incidence was low in the
sutureless group (1.3%) in a study done by
Huda and Khaleque, (2019).
Bista D et al
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
10 2 A biannual peer-reviewed academic journal of Nepal Ophthalmic Society
Graft oedema was seen in 4(8%) cases in group
1 and 1(2%) case in group 2. It was not present
in cases where the autograft was punctured
intentionally and was also lesser in group 2.
This could be due to escape of uid from the
punctured site during suturing. In a study by
Elwan (2014) it was present in 16% in group
1 and 6%in group 2, which is more than our
case. It was present in 8% in group 1 and 12%
in group 2 in a study by Sharma et al(2015)
which is dierent from our study. It resolved
spontaneously within 6 weeks of surgery and
required no intervention.
At second week 4(8%)case in the sutureless
group and 1 (2%) in the sutured group had graft
retraction which resolved at 6 weeks follow up
and was due to graft oedema. It was less than
the cases described by Elwan, (2014) where
12% cases in sutureless and 6% cases in sutured
groups had graft retraction. Alireza et al., (2011)
reported 20% of cases with graft retraction in a
sutureless group. Only 3.9%cases in sutureless
and 4% cases in sutured groups had retraction
in a study done by Huda and Khaleque, (2019).
One (2%) eye in each group had granuloma,
it was in the area where Tenon was exposed
in group 1 and foreign body granuloma was
present in group 2. Excision of granuloma
was done in both cases. The mean score for
postoperative symptoms; pain, foreign body
sensation and photophobia were less in group
1 than in group 2. The symptoms were reported
more severe in group 2 on day 1 and 14 but later
at 6 weeks it was similar to group 1 (Table 3).
This is similar to a study conducted by Elwan,
(2014) where he reported lower postoperative
symptoms in sutureless groups than with
sutures. Postoperative symptoms were reported
to be lesser in the sutureless group in many
studies (Sati et al., 2014; Sharma et al., 2015;
Yan et al., 2019).
In our study, the patient satisfaction score was
signicantly higher in group 1(p<0.001) (Table
4) which is comparable to a study by Elwan,
(2014).
The recurrence at one year of follow-up was
8% in-group 1 and 10% in group 2, which was
clinically not signicant. Similarly shown in a
study by Elwan (2014) where the recurrence rate
was 6% in the sutureless group, and 8% in the
sutured group taken after three months. Sharma
et al., (2015) showed a lower recurrence rate for
both techniques-0% for sutureless and 4% for
sutured. Longer follow up and larger sample
size would give us better information on the
recurrence.
CONCLUSION
Sutureless and glue-free conjunctival autograft
surgery has fewer postoperative complaints
and better patient satisfaction than sutured
conjunctival autograft. The postoperative
complications and recurrence of both techniques
were comparable.
Bista D et al
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
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NEPJOPH
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Bista D et al
Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts In Primary Pterygium Surgery
Nepal J Ophthalmol 2021; Vol 13 (26): 95-104
... Postoperative Follow-up Patients were followed up at 6mo after surgery. The postoperative symptoms were assessed after completion of a preformed questionnaire that included grading of conjunctival hyperemia, foreign body sensation, and graft stability [10,13] . Each of the three outcomes was scored on a scale ranging from 0 to 4 ( Table 1). ...
... In this study, the duration of surgery in the two groups were comparable. The operation time was similar to that of Zloto et al [23] who reported a surgery duration of 16.72min, which was slightly shorter than that reported by Bista et al [13] (22.14±1.79min), which may be related to the pterygium length and the degree of corneal infiltration. ...
... Pain scores at suture removal were performed according to the scoring criteria set by Lim-Bon-Siong et al [12] . The postoperative outcome score was based on the evaluation criteria of Bista et al [13] . ISLK: Intermittent sliding-lock-knot; RI: Routine intermittent. ...
Article
AIM: To report a technique used with intermittent sliding-lock-knot (ISLK) fixation for limbal conjunctival autografts in pterygium surgery and compared with those of routine intermittent (RI) fixation. METHODS: Consecutive patients with primary pterygium who had undergone pterygium excision combined with limbal conjunctival autograft transplantation between March 2021 and March 2022 at our institute were retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcome measures were mean duration of surgery and suture removal, degree of conjunctival hyperemia on postoperative day 1, pain score at suture removal, postoperative symptoms at 6mo, including conjunctival hyperemia, foreign body sensation, and graft stability. RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients underwent monocular surgery and were divided into ISLK (51 eyes) and RI (47 eyes) groups according to the type of conjunctiva autograft fixation method planned. There was no significant difference in mean duration of surgery between the two groups (18.59±2.39min vs 18.15±2.20min, P=0.417); however, compared to the RI group, shorter suture removal times were observed in the ISLK group [0.58min (0.42-0.87) vs 3.00min (2.21-4.15), P<0.001]. The degree of conjunctival hyperemia on postoperative day 1 was milder in the ISLK group (P<0.001). Pain scores at suture removal were lower in the ISLK group than in RI group [1 (0-3) vs 2 (1-4), P<0.001]. Postoperative symptoms at 6mo were comparable between the groups (P=0.487), with no recurrence. CONCLUSION: ISLK is an innovative method for limbal conjunctival autograft fixation after pterygium excision. Compared to RI fixation, ISLK facilitates suture removal and reduces discomfort, with comparable surgery duration and less conjunctival hyperemia.
... Furthermore, it offers certain advantages over the traditional suturing method, such as reduced surgical duration, enhanced graft stability and diminished postoperative discomfort. [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Hence, a meta-analysis is warranted to delineate a definitive conclusion. This systematic review and meta-analysis compare modified sutureless and glue-free methods vs conventional sutures. ...
... Ultimately, 11 RCTs met the eligibility criteria. [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Demographic characteristics of the included studies The meta-analysis included 11 articles, including 833 patients with primary pterygium. [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Of them, 394 and 439 patients were treated with sutureless and sutured techniques, respectively. ...
... [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Demographic characteristics of the included studies The meta-analysis included 11 articles, including 833 patients with primary pterygium. [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Of them, 394 and 439 patients were treated with sutureless and sutured techniques, respectively. Six articles included patients from India and one from Nepal, the Philippines, Egypt, Pakistan and China. ...
Article
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Background Pterygium is a common ocular surface disorder that requires surgical intervention for treatment. Conjunctival autografts are preferred over simple excision due to lower recurrence rates. This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the modified sutureless glue-free (MSGF) method with conventional sutures (CS) for conjunctival autograft fixation in primary pterygium surgery. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, Google Scholar and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing MSGF and CS conjunctival autografts. Outcome measures included operation time, recurrence and postoperative complications. Standardised mean difference (SMD) and risk ratio (RR) were used for continuous and dichotomous outcomes, respectively. Results 11 RCTs involving 833 participants were included. The analysis revealed that MSGF had a significantly shorter operation time compared with CS (SMD −3.704, 95% CI −5.122 to −2.287, p<0.001). CS was associated with a higher risk of foreign body sensation (RR 0.22, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.74, p=0.01). MSGF was associated with a higher risk of graft dehiscence (RR 9.01, 95% CI 2.74 to 29.68, p=0.000) and graft retraction (RR 2.37, 95% CI 1.17 to 4.77, p=0.02). No significant differences were found in recurrence, graft haemorrhage, granuloma, Dellen and conjunctival oedema. Conclusion Using the MSGF technique in conjunctival autograft fixation for pterygium surgery reduces operation time by relying solely on the patient’s blood for fixation. However, it increases the risk of graft dehiscence and retraction. However, CS is linked to a higher likelihood of experiencing foreign body sensations. Understanding the learning curve and surgeon familiarity with novel techniques is crucial for optimising patient care and surgical outcomes, while individualised decision-making is necessary considering the advantages and disadvantages of each approach. Further research is warranted to minimise complications and optimise surgical outcomes.
... Recently, I came across an original article "Sutureless Glue Free Versus Sutured Limbal Conjunctival Autografts in Primary Pterygium Surgery" (Bista, D, Byanju R, and Gautam MA, 2021) and found this to be an interesting modification in the current pterygium surgery. I would like to commend Bista et al. for their well-written paper that emphasises the value of sutureless and glueless pterygium removal surgery for patients who want to have their pterygium removed. ...
Article
Pterigiumas yra gerybinis proliferacinis darinys, augantis iš bulbarinės junginės į rageną ir ant jos. Liga išsivysto dėl nekontroliuojamos ląstelių proliferacijos. Dažniausiai būna trikampio ar sparno formos ir susideda iš galvutės, kaklelio ir kūno. Pagrindinis rizikos veiksnys yra ilgalai­kis saulės spindulių poveikis. Dažniausiai suserga 20–40 metų asmenys, kurie skundžiasi pablogėjusiu matymu bei diskomfortu. Vienintelis gydymo būdas – chirurginė operacija, kurios metu darinys pašalinamas, tačiau dažni recidyvų atvejai. Tyrimo tikslas – apžvelgti literatūros šaltiniuose apra­šomą pterigiumo etiologiją, kliniką bei gydymo gali­mybes.
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Introduction: Sutureless and glue-free conjunctival autograft as a treatment modality for primary pterygium is recently gaining popularity but conventional technique of suturing conjunctival autograft is still practised widely. Aim: To compare the outcome of sutureless and glue-free technique with sutures for limbal conjunctival autografting in management of primary pterygium. Materials and Methods: A prospective interventional study was carried out in 50 consecutive eyes with primary nasal pterygium requiring surgical excision. Simple excision under local anaesthesia was performed followed by closure of the bare sclera by sutureless and glue-free conjunctival autograft in 25 eyes of 25 patients (group 1) and by the conventional method of suturing conjunctival autograft using interrupted 10-0 nylon sutures in 25 eyes of 25 patients (group 2), followed by bandaging for 24 hours in both the groups. Surgical time was recorded for both the techniques. Postoperative discomfort was assessed using preformed questionnaires. The patients were followed up for 6 months. During follow up, graft related complications and recurrence if any were noted. Results: Mean surgical time for group 1 (23.20±1.55 minutes) was significantly less as compared to group 2 (37.76±1.89 minutes); (p=0.001). Postoperative symptoms were seen in less number of patients (20%) and were of shorter duration (2 weeks) in group 1 as compared to group 2 with 20 (80%) patients having symptoms lasting for 4 weeks; (p
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Purpose To compare and evaluate the safety and efficacy of two surgical techniques for the management of primary pterygium. Design Prospective randomized clinical trial using the CONSORT 2010 Statement (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) for parallel group randomized trials. Setting Department of ophthalmology, Al-Minya University Faculty of medicine, Egypt. Methods The study included 150 eyes of 150 patients with primary pterygium. The mean age was 49 ± 12 years (range, 24 to 74 years. Simple excision under local anesthesia was performed followed by closure of the bare sclera by suture less and glue free conjunctival autograft in 50 eyes of 50 patients (group 1), versus the conventional method of a sutured conjunctival autograft in 100 eyes of 100 patients (group 2). Results The pterygium recurrence rate was 6 % for (group 1), 8 % for (group 2). Graft dehiscence occurred in 4 eyes out of 50 (8%) in group 1. Graft retraction occurred in 6 (12%) out of 50 eyes for (group 1) versus 6 eyes (6%) in group 2. Pyogenic granuloma occurred in 3 (3%) eyes out of 100 in group 2. No other serious complications were noted. At the At the 3 weeks visit the overall patient satisfaction score was statistically significantly higher for group 1 (P< 0.002) compared to group 2. At 3 months postoperatively, the gain in uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 Log MAR in 10 eyes. Conclusion Sutureless and glue free conjunctival autograft technique is easy, safe, effective, prevent potential adverse reactions encountered with the use of foreign materials. This technique has an acceptable pterygium recurrence rate that is comparable to conventional sutured conjunctival autograft for primary pterygium.
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Our aim primarily was to compare the recurrence rate with three techniques of conjunctival fixation (suture versus fibrin glue versus autologous in situ blood coagulum) over bare sclera following pterygium excision. Ninety eyes of 90 patients with primary pterygium were randomly divided into three groups: group I (30 eyes) underwent autografting and fixation with 8-0 vicryl sutures, group II (30 eyes) with fibrin glue and group III (30 eyes) with autologous in situ blood coagulum. The patients were reviewed on 2nd day, weeks 1 and 4, and at every 3 months till 12 months after surgery. Rate of recurrence was similar (p = 0.585) across the three groups. Time taken for surgery for Group 1 was more as compared to group 2 (p < 0.001) and group 3 (p < 0.001). Also, group 2 cases took significantly more time as compared to group 3 (p < 0.001). Postoperative patient discomfort (foreign body sensation, epiphora, pain and irritation) was more in suture-assisted autografting as compared to the other two groups. However, at some points along the time line, patient discomfort was significantly more in group III as compared to group II. Complications like graft retraction, graft displacement and cyst formation were seen in a few patients but were not statistically significant across the three groups. All three techniques were found to be useful methods and were associated with similar rate of recurrence.
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To assess and compare the recurrence rate of pterygium after limbal stem cell transplantation versus amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) as ocular surface reconstructing measures in recurrent pterygium, also evaluation of the use of antimetabolite drugs as adjunctive therapy for AMT. Prospective randomized comparative study included 60 eyes of 48 patients with recurrent pterygia. Informed consents were taken from all patients. Primary pterygium excision was performed 6-15 months ago; the cases were divided randomly into three equal groups: Group 1: included 20 eyes with excision of the pterygium and application of limbal stem cell transplantation with conjunctival autograft, group 2: included 20 eyes with excision of the pterygium followed by AMT and group 3: included 20 eyes in which surgical excision of pterygium was followed by intra-operative application of low-dose of MMC (0.05%) for 3 min then using AMT. The study included 36 males and 12 females of age ranged from 28 to 52 years. The recurrence rate was 2 eyes in group 1 (10%) (limbal stem cell transplantation + conjunctival autograft), 6 eyes in group 2 (30%) (AMT) and 4 eyes (20%) in group 3 (MMC + AMT). The rate of recurrence was significantly different between the three groups (P < 0.001). Limbal stem cell transplantation together with conjunctival autografting proved to be more effective in prevention of pterygium recurrence and in rapid restoration of normal epithelial morphology. MMC in addition to AMT decreases the incidence of recurrence.
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This paper reviews the histological and epidemiological characteristics of pterygium which suggest that chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of this disorder. However, there is conflicting evidence indicating that chronic inflammation from other causes can induce the disease. The results of two epidemiological surveys undertaken in Southern Africa show that pterygium is not closely linked to other chronic actinic disorders such as pinguecula and climatic droplet keratopathy. Pterygia differ from these disorders by their vascularity which is probably induced by chronic inflammation. On histological examination, we found that excised pterygia contained a lymphocytic infiltration consisting predominantly of T cells. In the pathogenesis of pterygium we believe that chronic irritation (from whatever cause) produces a chronic inflammatory cell infiltration with resultant inflammatory oedema, attempt at repair and cell induced angiogenesis. These processes, together with actinic damage, are responsible for the fibrovascular reaction so characteristic of a growing pterygium.
Article
Purpose: To compare the advantages and disadvantages of a modified sutureless and glue-free method with those of conventional sutures for conjunctival autograft fixation in pterygium surgery. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was performed on 73 eyes with primary nasal pterygium. After pterygium excision, the bare sclera was covered with a limbal conjunctival autograft, which was fixed using a modified sutureless and glue-free method in group 1 (39 eyes) and sutures in group 2 (34 eyes). The main outcome measures were operative time, autograft stability, postoperative discomfort, autograft thickness, pterygium recurrence, and complications. Results: The mean operative time was significantly shorter in group 1 (11.9 ± 1.3 minutes) than in group 2 (24.3 ± 6.1 minutes, P < 0.0001). On day 2 postsurgery, the average conjunctival autograft thickness was significantly higher in group 1 (861 ± 340 μm) than in group 2 (577 ± 287 μm, P = 0.034). Subsequently, conjunctival autograft thickness gradually decreased, with no significant difference between groups after 1 week. There were no significant differences in postoperative discomfort between groups, except for a greater foreign body sensation on day 2 and an itching sensation in 1 week in group 2 compared with group 1. Autograft side displacement occurred in 4 patients (10.3%) in group 1; 2 of these 4 developed a granuloma. There was 1 recurrence (2.9%) in group 2. Conclusions: The modified sutureless and glue-free limbal conjunctival autograft fixation method might be effective and efficient for primary pterygium surgery, with potentially decreased recurrence and postoperative discomfort.
Article
Introduction: To compare and evaluate the safety and efficacy of two surgical techniques for the management of primary pterygium. Materials & Methods: The study included 176 eyes of 176 patients with primary pterygium. The mean age was 49 ± 12 years (range 24–74 years). Simple excision under local anesthesia was performed followed by closure of the bare sclera by suture less and glue free conjunctival autograft in 76 eyes of 76 patients (group 1), versus the conventional method of a sutured conjunctival autograft in 100 eyes of 100 patients (group 2). Results: The pterygium recurrence rate was 6% for group 1, 8% for group 2. Graft dehiscence occurred in 4 eyes out of 50 (8%) in group 1. Graft retraction occurred in 6 (12%) out of 50 eyes for group 1 versus 6 eyes (6%) in group 2. Pyogenic granuloma occurred in 3 (3%) eyes out of 100 in group 2. No other serious complications were noted. At the 3 week visit the overall patient satisfaction score was statistically significantly higher for group 1 (P < 0.002) compared to group 2. At 3 months postoperatively, the gain in uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 Log MAR in 10 eyes. Conclusion: Sutureless and glue free conjunctival autograft technique is easy, safe, effective, prevents potential adverse reactions encountered with the use of foreign materials. This technique has an acceptable pterygium recurrence rate that is comparable to conventional sutured conjunctival autograft for primary pterygium. Medicine Today 2018 Vol.31(1): 1-8
Article
Purpose: To evaluate the efficiency and safety of using autologous fibrin glue for attachment of a conjunctival autograft in primary pterygium surgery Methods: In this prospective interventional case series, 15 eyes from 13 patients with primary nasal pterygium were included for conjunctival autograft surgery. On the operation day, thrombin and fibrinogen were prepared from the patient's own blood in two separate sealed tubes in the blood transfusion center. Autologous fibrin glue was applied over the bare sclera for attachment of the free conjunctival autograft to the surrounding conjunctiva and sclera. The anatomic outcomes of flap, surgical time, recurrence rate, and other complications were evaluated on days 1, 3, and 7 and at months 1, 6, and 9 and 3 year after operation. A patient's pain was evaluated using a 5-point scale from Lim-Bon-Siong et al grading at all visits. Results: Of the 13 patients, 76.9% were male. The mean age of the patients was 37.26±12.61 (SD) years (range 23-60). The mean follow-up period was 34.67±2.96 months (range 25-36). Three eyes (20%) developed autograft retraction that resolved completely with continued eye patching. Two eyes (13.33%) developed total graft dehiscence, and sutures were used for reattachment of the graft in its correct position. Two eyes (13.33%) developed recurrence of pterygium, one of them had already a total graft dehiscence. In 13 eyes (86.66%), the conjunctival grafts were appropriately adhered to the bed and surrounding conjunctiva without suturing in the final visit. In the first postoperative day, ocular pain was recorded as grade 1 in 11 eyes (73.3%), grade 2 in 3 eyes (20%), and grade 3 in 1 eye (6.6%). In all patients, ocular pain disappeared during the 5 days after operation, except for two patients who needed suturing for graft reattachment, in whom ocular pain continued for 2 weeks. No other complications were found during follow-up. Conclusion: This case series suggests that autologous fibrin glue is a safe and useful alternative method for graft fixation in pterygium surgery.
Article
To compare the efficiency and safety of fibrin glue to suture technique in pterygium surgery performed with limbal autograft. A prospective randomised clinical trial was carried out in 58 eyes of 58 patients operated for primary nasal pterygium. Autologous conjunctival graft taken from the superotemporal limbus was used to cover the sclera after pterygium excision. In 29 eyes, the transplant was attached to the sclera with a fibrin tissue adhesive (Beriplast P) and in 29 eyes with 8-0 Virgin silk sutures. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. Postoperative patient discomfort (pain, stinging, watering) and biomicroscopic findings (hyperemia, edema) were graded. Patients were followed up at least for six months. Subconjunctival hemorrhage occured under the graft in one patient in group 1. In seven cases of group 2, sutures were removed at the 15(th) day because of granulomatous tissue reaction. Patient symptoms were significantly less and biomicroscopic findings were better in group 1. Pterygium recurrence was seen in one case of group 1, and 2 cases of group 2. Average surgery cost was higher (P<0.05) and surgery time was shorter (P<0.05) in fibrin group. Using fibrin glue for graft fixation in pterygium surgery causes significantly less postoperative pain and shortens surgery time significantly.
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