Efficacy and safety of subconjunctival bevacizumab for recurrent pterygium

To evaluate the clinical outcome(s) and complication(s) of subconjunctival bevacizumab treatment in patients with recurrent pterygium.

This prospective case series included patients who had undergone pterygium surgery and were diagnosed with recurrent pterygium. All patients received one subconjunctival injection of 0.5 mL of bevacizumab (2.5 mg/0.1 mL). The main outcome was the change in size and clinical appearance. The clinical appearance of the pterygium was graded according to Tan and colleagues. The horizontal size of the pterygium (from limbus to apex) was recorded from baseline to 2 months after injection. Treatment-related complications and adverse events were reported.

We included 36 eyes of 36 patients (18 males) with a mean age of 58.75 ± 10.98 years. Totally, 30.6% patients developed recurrent pterygium in both eyes (only the worst eye was treated), with 47.2% developing it in the left eye and 22.2% in the right eye. More than half the patients (58.3%) had a family history of pterygium. There was a significant difference in the size of pterygium at different intervals (P<0.05). Approximately two-thirds (66.7%) of patients presented with hyposphagma on the 2nd day after subconjunctival application; this value decreased to 30.6% by day 7 and to 0% at 1 month. Most patients (69.4%) exhibited amelioration of irritative symptoms within 2 days, 88.9% after 7 days, and 97.2% after 1 month.

Subconjunctival bevacizumab injection is useful for the management of patients with recurrent pterygium, with no significant local or systemic adverse effects.