[Conjunctival autologous transplantation using fibrin glue in primary pterygium]

To assess the rate of recurrence and complications after primary pterygium removal with conjunctival autograft using fibrin tissue adhesive. Secondarily, to compare these results with a retrospective series that underwent the same surgery using sutures.

A hundred and six eyes of 100 patients who underwent surgery with fibrin glue were prospectively studied, while 58 eyes of 51 patients who underwent surgery with sutures were retrospectively evaluated. Data included: age, gender, eye involved, location, grade and pterygium invasion and post-operative complications. Patients were followed for at least 5 months.

Among 106 eyes undergoing surgery with fibrin glue, 12 (11.3%) had recurrence, including 4 (3.8%) conjunctival and 8 (7.5%) corneal. Mean age was statistically inferior in the recurrence cases compared to others (mean of 34.6 vs. 43.7; P=0.033). The time for recurrence ranged from 1.6 to 13.1 months (mean of 4.4). Among the corneal recurrences, 2 eyes had invasion beyond the limbus of up to 0.5 mm and 6 eyes from 0.6 to 1.0 mm. No eye underwent reoperation. Other complications included: transitory granuloma formation in 3 cases, partial graft detachment or slippage in 3 and dellen in 1. In the suture group, 15 eyes (25.9%) had recurrence, including 8 conjunctival (13.8%) and 7 (12.1%) corneal. The time for recurrence ranged from 0.7 to 9.7 months (mean 4.5 months). The conjunctival recurrence rate was statistically inferior in the glue group compared to the suture (P=0.023), however no statistically significant difference was observed in relation to corneal recurrence (P=0.232).

The use of fibrin glue as an alternative to sutures in pterygium surgery was associated with good results and few complications. Despite a decrease in conjunctival recurrence rates, this technique does not appear to significantly decrease corneal recurrences.