Comparison between the role of intraoperative mitomycin C and doxorubicin in preventing the recurrence of primary pterygium.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to compare the role of intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC) and doxorubicin in preventing the recurrence of primary pterygium.

METHODS

Fifty-six patients including 22 males and 34 females in the age range of 22-55 years (mean age 38.1 years +/- 10.7) having primary pterygium of progressive type were randomly divided into two groups. The first group of patients was treated with intraoperative MMC (0.02% for 3 min) and in the second group intraoperative doxorubicin (0.02% for 3 min) was used. The patients were regularly followed until 1 year postoperatively for examining visual acuity, wound condition, adverse events and recurrence of pterygium.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients of MMC group was 37.4 +/- 11.0 years and of doxorubicin group was 38.8 +/- 10.8 years (difference statistically not significant). All these patients had pterygium on the medial side of cornea. The side effects experienced by our patients from the use of these agents were conjunctival hyperemia, conjunctival necrosis, corneal epithelial defect, subconjunctival hemorrhage, episcleritis, increased pain, foreign body sensation, lacrimation, irritation, diminution of vision and photophobia. Recurrence was seen in 4 patients of MMC group (14.3%) and 3 patients of doxorubicin group (10.7%) (difference statistically not significant; chi(2) = 0.16, p = 0.68). The recurrence of pterygium was not associated with age of patients, laterality of eye involved, amount of encroachment of pterygium over cornea, width of pterygium, preoperative complaints and postoperative adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

The two antimitotic agents, MMC and doxorubicin, when used intraoperatively along with primary pterygium excision, had a comparable role both in terms of adverse events and prevention of recurrence of pterygium.