SLIDING CONJUNCTIVAL FLAP IN THE SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF PTERYGIUM: A BETTER APPROACH

Surgical Management of Pterygium

Abstract

Objective: To note the frequency of recurrence of pterygium after surgical management using “Sliding Conjunctival Flap Technique” and “Bare Sclera Technique” thereby finding out a better technique where least recurrence occurs.

Design: Prospective interventional study. 

Duration and Place of Study: Study was carried out between February 2003 and February 2005 at Department of Ophthalmology, Military Hospital Rawalpindi initially and completed at Eye Department CMH Khuzdar, Balochistan.

Patients and Methods: Surgical intervention was carried out on ninety patients with virgin pterygium; who had no other ocular pathology. Patients were selected from routine OPD using non randomized convenience sampling and were divided into two groups; Group A and Group B. Group A included 42 patients and were managed using “bare sclera technique, while Group B comprised of 48 patients and were managed using “sliding conjunctival flap technique”. Patients were followed up for 1 year post-surgically at regular intervals. All patients were prescribed a standard treatment and results were documented.

Results: It was found that at the end of 1 year, 9 (21.42%) patients in Group A developed recurrence and only 3 (6.25%) patients in Group B developed recurrence. The results were found to be statistically significant (P-value <0.05).

Conclusion: Patients operated upon using sliding conjunctival flap technique had less frequency of recurrence of pterygium than those operated upon using bare sclera technique.