Cosmetic Pterygium Surgery: Techniques and Long-Term Outcomes.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Techniques
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Pterygium surgery aims to remove abnormal tissue growth and restore ocular health.
• Traditional methods often have limitations in cosmetic results and recurrence rates.
• Enhanced techniques incorporating amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and mitomycin C (MMC) are explored for improved outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term cosmetic and functional results of an enhanced pterygium surgery.
• To assess the efficacy of extensive Tenonectomy, fibrin-glued AMT, and MMC in pterygium management.
• To determine the recurrence rates and complication profile of this surgical approach.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 603 eyes from 578 patients undergoing pterygium surgery with AMT and MMC.
• Inclusion criteria required at least 6 months of postoperative follow-up.
• Analysis of early and long-term cosmetic outcomes, recurrence, and complications using patient and surgeon-reported measures.

Main Results:

• Excellent early cosmetic results with no patient-reported discomfort on postoperative day 1.
• Low recurrence rate of 0.2% over an average follow-up of 23.1 months.
• Minimal complications including granulomas (2.9%) and other infrequent issues, mostly correctable.

Conclusions:

• The enhanced pterygium surgery technique significantly reduces recurrence rates.
• This approach achieves superior cosmetic excellence and improves overall vision quality.
• The study validates an improved method for pterygium surgery with excellent long-term results.