Treatment of pterygium by ligation and bevacizumab injection

To describe a technique for treating pterygium by combining a subpterygial injection of bevacizumab followed by pterygial ligation.

Bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) was injected into the base of pterygia in 4 patients, and the pterygial necks were ligated.

The heads of the pterygia regressed and disappeared within 7 days after treatment. The bodies also partially regressed and well-defined vessels were not seen on the bodies; however, the concentration of microvessels was higher on the pterygial bodies than in the normal conjunctiva after 1 month. A recurrence was defined as fibrovascular growth of conjunctival tissue that extended beyond the limbus. No complications or recurrences were noted during the follow-up period.

Although only 4 cases were studied, the uniform finding demonstrated that combined subpterygial bevacizumab injection and pterygial ligation is a potential effective procedure for removing pterygium.